Past the Shadows
by r0ckit
Summary: Junichiro wasn't happy with his life; orphaned as a child, he longed to meet his long-dead parents, a wish that was never possible until destiny intervened . . .
1. Empty

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . . 

ROCK ON!!!

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The rain pattered against the windows, the sky bleak and dark with stormy clouds. Atop an ancient shrine, beneath the shelter of an altar, a lone figure sat, staring blankly into the blurred scenery of Tokyo.

_Why did you have to go . . ._

The person hidden in the shadows was clearly male, his midnight black hair falling messily across his eyes. Coffee-brown eyes flecked with gold blinked, trying to push aside the raindrops that threatened to enter. He sat with his legs up to his chest, his chin resting on his knees as he stared in oblivion.

_Things would've been different if you were here . . ._

Darkness loomed over him as he felt a presence approach him from behind, their aura distinctly familiar to the somber young man.

"Junichiro?"

Reluctantly he looked up, his eyes empty as he recognized the man that stood before him.

"Yes, Uncle?" His voice was hard and restrained, as if trying to contain the emotion that threatened to spill.

Shaking his head, the older man slightly shifted the green umbrella he held with his left hand. "You shouldn't be out here, Junichiro-chan. You'll catch a cold."

Junichiro blinked, before pushing himself off the ground and standing. His uncle adjusted the umbrella to accommdate his nephew's height. A small pang of sadness filled his heart as a memory resurfaced in his mind.

_Well, his father **was** of tall stature . . . I shouldn't be surprised that his son should inherit the same . . ._

Shaking the thought off, he tilted his head slightly upward. "Let's go inside; the cookies your aunt has baked sounds good right about now, ne?"

He received no reply to his efforts, save for a slight nod of the head. Slowly the older man led him towards the house located at the end of the courtyard, sighing at another defeated effort to communicate with his estranged nephew.

--------------------------

"Hitomi! We're back!"

The two men entered the house, shaking their clothing and pulling off their soaked shoes.

"Souta! Junichiro! Come, come, warm yourselves!" A small woman with brown hair appeared in the doorway, her hands in the pink apron tied in her hands. "I've just pulled out some fresh cookies out of the oven," she added, eyeing the soaked state of her husband and nephew.

Following the woman, Souta and Junichiro entered the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. Hitomi set before them a steaming plate of chocolate chip cookies and a pitcher of milk with two glasses.

"There you go," she said cheerfully, standing back as she watched her husband dig in eagerly into the baked goodies. She was about to turn back to the sink to clean her utensils when she saw Junichiro sitting at the head of table, simply staring at the cookies.

"Junichiro," she asked gently, "Don't you want any cookies?"

She watched as his brown-sugar eyes stared back at her, his chiseled face set into a grim expression as he uttered three syllables with much difficulty. "No, thank you."

Hitomi knew by now that pressuring him into doing something he didn't want to was useless. "Alright then, dear, why don't you go on up to your room? There's a package that arrived earlier; I set it on your bed."

Without a word, the young man stood, and silently made his way out of the kitchen. Souta, a cookie halfway to his mouth, set it back on the plate, sighed, and leaned back into his seat. "I just don't know what to do about him," he said wearily.

"Give him time, he'll come around," Hitomi assured, taking the seat that her nephew vaccated.

"Time . . . time . . . how much more?" Souta ran a hand through his unruly hair. "It's been 14 years, Hitomi. 14 years since he appeared at the bottom of the well."

"Yes, I know," the woman nodded. "Most children who have lost their parents would've been over it by now . . . but Souta, remember, his parents weren't exactly typical. His father being who he was . . ." she trailed off, remembering the great impact he had on her husband's life.

"He was a great man, regardless of what he was," Souta said firmly, drumming his fingers against the table.

"And his mother?"

"She was the strongest person I ever knew," he said quietly, his fingers ceasing to roll. A vague memory of a woman with long black hair and soft, caring eyes entered his mind.

His wife nodded, propping her head up with her hand as she stared out the kitchen window. There was silence for a couple of precious moments, before Hitomi broke the quiet reverie.

"He . . . he's so much like them," she whispered, turning to her husband. "Although he doesn't show it, I can see it. He holds his emotions in like his father . . . but he has this aura of pure innocence reminiscent to his mother . . ."

Souta didn't say anything, but his wife knew she was right. "They didn't die in vain, Souta."

The man hung his head and shook it sadly. "If only they decided to live here . . . if only they weren't stubborn . . . if only . . ."

"They had to stay there," Hitomi prodded gently. "They had to stay and finish what they had begun . . . and they did."

"Yeah, and at what cost?" Souta asked bitterly. "They lost their lives, and they left their son an orphan."

"They knew we were here," she reminded, reaching out and holding his hand. "They knew that we would take care of Junichiro."

Her husband didn't reply, and Hitomi knew that he too was holding back emotions he held for his long-dead sister. "They came back, though, didn't they? Before the end?"

Souta closed his eyes, remembering that fateful day . . .

**FlashBack**

_"Souta!! Souta!!!"_

_The newly married man rushed outside, his eyes wide and scared. "What is it, Hitomi?"_

_"Come quick!" she beckoned, pulling him with her as they ran towards the well. Relieved that his bride was alright, Souta ran with curiousity towards the old well his sister traveled through for years._

_Hitomi slid the door open with much force, yanking Souta and pushing him through it. It was dark inside, and he could hardly make out his surroundings. As his eyes focused to the light, he noticed two familiar figures sitting at the edge of the well, eaching leaning on the other._

_"Kagome! Inuyasha!" he exclaimed, rushing down the steps. "I haven't seen you two in years!" _

_Souta eyed his sister carefully, her hair hanging loosely around her face, her body clad in miko robes worn back 500 years in the past. As he looked closer, he noticed her eyes were filled with exhaustion, her arms scratched and face badly bruised._

_"What happened?" he gasped, taking in his sister's poor state. He glanced over to his brother-in-law, who, although hanyou, was in a similar condition as his wife. "Are you two alright?"_

_Glancing at her husband, Kagome took a breath and shook her head. "No, I'm afraid not," she whispered, her voice dragging with weariness. "The battle . . . the battle against Naraku is close, and it looks like our odds aren't good."_

_"It's started," Inuyasha spoke, running a hand through his silver hair. "We're going to give it all we got, but . . ." he sent a look to the miko._

_"But what?" Souta asked, concerned. He felt Hitomi shift slightly behind him._

_"I don't believe we'll make it," Kagome said sadly, motioning to herself and the hanyou. _

_"Kagome, no!" Souta protested, "You two can't sacrifice yourselves!"_

_"We've got no choice, kid," Inuyasha growled. "It's either fight till the death, or have our world and yours crumble from Naraku's power."_

_"But . . . but . . ." Souta argued weakly, not knowing what to say._

_"Please, Souta," Kagome pleaded, "As a last request . . . please . . ." she choked back a sob, burying her face in her husband's dirtied haori. _

_Inuyasha soothed her, trying to calm her down with gentle words. Turning to his young brother-in-law, he gave him a fierce look. "What we're about to give you shouldn't be neglected and thrown away." His face softened considerably as he continued, "It causes us great pain, your sister and me, to give you this, but we have no choice."_

_Souta was taken aback. "You're not giving me the Sacred Jewel or anything, are you?" he asked worriedly._

_The hanyou snorted. "Of course not . . . but it's just as valuble." Gently prying Kagome off him, he whispered a few words in her ear. Nodding, Kagome shifted slightly and pulled a small bundle from a sling from her back._

_She handed the small bundle to her younger brother, her eyes filled with tears. Souta mechanically took it before peering inside. In it slept a young boy, his face sweet and angelic._

_"What . . . who . . ." Souta stuttered, sending a wide-eyed stare to the couple._

_Inuyasha chuckled bitterly. "Your nephew . . . Junichiro," he said. "Take care of him, brat."_

_"My . . . **nephew**?!" The younger man gaped, staring at the babe in his arms. His hair was midnight black, like his mother's, but when he opened his eyes they were a distinct brown swirled with gold. . . a mixture of the two gene pools. _

_"Please, Souta," Kagome pleaded, holding a hand to her baby's head. "Take care of him . . . if . . . if we don't come return . . ." she trailed off into sobs, turning her back on her brother as she tried to control her wracking body._

_"Raise him like he's one of your own," Inuyasha finished gruffly, his own tears bearing unbearable pain. He leaned forward, and ruffling Junichiro's black hair, gently nudged his wife to say goodbye. The miko, her face wet with tears, bent over and kissed her only child on his forehead, her tears gently spraying him. _

_She stood back and managed to crack a smile at her younger brother. "We should've visited more often," she admitted, gazing into his cinnimon eyes. "I would've seen what kind of man you've become."_

_"Nee-chan," Souta began, but he was abruptly brushed off as the couple turned their backs on him. _

_"Take care of him, runt," Inuyasha called, taking Kagome into his arms and jumping into the well for the last time._

_They never returned._

**End Flashback**

Souta opened his eyes, a single tear falling in remembrance of his courageous sister and her amazing husband. Shaking his head, he looked woefully at his wife. "Sometimes I wonder what would've happened if they returned."

Hitomi reached forward and stroked her husband's hand. "Junichiro would be different, that's for sure. He's so much like his father . . . the brooding type. I was lucky enough to meet him before he . . . well, passed on."

The man nodded, the chair scraping against the floor as he rose. "I have some errand to run. Seems like the rain's died down a bit."

He kissed his wife on the cheek and headed out the door, opening his umbrella to shield him from the sparse droplets that fell from the sky. He walked towards the long staircase, momentarily stopping to glance at the old wellhouse that held so many memories of his sister.

Closing his eyes, he headed towards the well, and sliding the door open, stepped inside. The musky smell of old wood greeted him as he descended down the stairs and peered into the darkness. He hung his head as he whispered to the well,

"Nee-chan, I've raised your son like one of my own and I've attended to his every needs. But there are things he longs for that I cannot give him. Things his heart yearns to know and have . . . to have you and Inuyasha live once again."

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_AN:_ I know, I know . . .another new story?! before you guys go all postal on me, let me explain. I am simply expanding and excercising my writing skills to become a better writer . . . yes, this is a new story and I have two others to finish, but I assure you, I will finish all of them in due time. besides . . . I have two weeks off for christmas vacation! think of all the writing I can get done!

speaking of writing, I must apologize for the delay in mystories. We had finals the last two weeks, and I am serious when I say this, I averaged approximately five hours of sleep each week night, then 8 hours of school, 1 hour of work, and 1 and a half hours of basketball practice each day, before going home and doing homework for 3-4 hours . . . I am exhausted!

But I'm back to my writing, so do not fret! I'm baaaack!

while we're on the subject of stories . . . how do you like this one? Yes, it's a little dramatic at first, but it will get better . . . promise!

concerning "The Life to My Soul," I am doing some major construction work on it. By the end of this week I may repost it with even better writing ::gasp::!! haha, on the sad note, however, I will be permanently/temporarily removing "Where I Belong." Why you ask? That too I will remodel, after "The Life to My Soul," because as I reread it I found out that the story isn't going where I want it to. Don't worry, it'll come back!

whew, seems like I have my work cut out for me, huh? I'll finish all stories, promise!

stay tuned!


	2. Reminsicing

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

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The shades were drawn in the room, making it darker than usual. It was an empty place; there were no hangings of teen idols or pictures of friends strewn about. All there was were plain, white walls, a nearly empty desk, and a twin-sized bed in the corner.

This was his sanctuary.

He sat on the carpeted floor, staring at the package laying on his bed. His eyes, although still holding their empty look, had a hint of curiousity and suspicion in them as he gazed at the brown box.

_Who . . . who would send me anything?_

Junichiro sat back against the wall, feeling the cold plaster on his bare back. He reached up and slightly ruffled his black hair, releasing two of his many secrets he had taken great pains to conceal. Glancing at the mirror on his left, he slightly wiggled them.

His ears. Dog ears.

Leaning forward, he reached underneath his bed and pulled out an old shoebox. His fingers shook as he pryed off the cover, reaching inside and feeling for the familiar photograph he coveted.

He sat back as he stared at the photograph, their faces smiling back at him. The woman's long, silky, midnight black hair fell down her back in waves, her body clad in an old uniform reminiscent to the ones the girls wore today. Brown eyes, so much like his, twinkled back at him, her arm wrapped around her companion's.

Shifting his gaze, he focused on the only other person in the picture. He was tall, his long, silver hair flowing down his back, his bangs unruly. He was dressed in a red haori, a type of clothing that people wore over 500 years in the past. His smile wasn't as inviting as of that of the woman's, but his face showed a type of peace on his rugged face, his golden eyes sparkling.

His parents. The ones he had never known.

According to his uncle, this picture was taken two years before he was born. His mother was only at the tender age of 18, her face vibrant with energy and youth. When he asked about his father's age, Souta hesitated; he explained to his nephew that he had been sealed to a tree for fifty years, therefore his true age being around 70 at the time of the picture.

His father . . . a supposed hanyou.

Junichiro had a hard time grasping the facts that circulated his father. A hanyou . . . living 500 years in the past . . . having a phantom sword that could kill a hundred demons in one swing . . .

_Demons . . . swords . . . it all seems like an overexaggerated fairytale to me . . ._

He was told that his mother fell down the shrine's well for the first time on her 15th birthday, traveling 500 years into the past and unsealed a sleeping hanyou pinned to a tree. Inside her was a a sacred jewel, hunted by all demons imaginable, including his own father. The awakened dog demon tried to steal the jewel from his mother, but failed.

The story then proceeded to his mother breaking the jewel into a hundred shards, and his mother and father were then commissioned to find all of them and make the jewel whole once again. However, their journey was made even harder when a demon by the name of Naraku also began collecting the shards in hopes of becoming the strongest demon alive.

So, with the help of a lecherous monk, a demon slayer, and a fox demon, they began the nearly impossible task of collecting all the shards.

During the journey, as he was told, his father and mother began to fall in love. There was something, however, that held his father back; the love of his former lover, brought back from the dead. Somehow, Souta didn't know how, they overcame the obstacle, married, and had him, all while battling Naraku.

Almost two years after he was born, they had returned to the present time, bade Souta to take care of their son, and had a final battle with their enemy. They were successful in destroying Naraku, but his parents themselves lost their lives in the cause.

Or so he was told.

As hard as he tried not to believe such a far-fetched story, he could never come up with enough reasoning to dismiss his father's 'heritage.' The story seemed so unrealistic, yet there was a feeling deep in his heart that told him that the story was definately true. His mother, being the beautiful, strong, courageous miko, and his father, the handsome, brave, tempermental half-demon . . .

And he, Junichiro, who's eyes were the exact replica of his mother's, his father's features reflecting on his rugged face, his hands bearing the same long, clawed fingers and . . .

The ears.

He could never come up with a reasonable explaination for why he was endowned with dog ears. His doctor's couldn't explain it, science and medical books couldn't explain it, but for some reason, his uncle and this picture could.

His father was a hanyou . . . with dog ears.

Junichiro shook his head, believing and disbelieving this fact that puzzled him all throughout his life. _I . . . I'm part dog?_

As insane as it sounded, there was just no other explaination for his strange features. His hair, although not silver, grew extremely fast whenever cut. He was unusually tall for his age, and his eyes flashed a bright gold when he was angry.

They weren't as convincing as his ears, but they were the only explaination he could think of. He also couldn't shake off his keen sense of smell and his wide range of hearing; as a child he could often hear his aunt talking with the neighbors down by the street while he was in his room.

_Speaking of hearing . . . they were talking about me again . . ._

It wasn't uncommon for him to overhear his aunt and uncle talking, especially about him. As a child he often heard them worrying over him, wondering why he wasn't like their children or other kids his age. Even though they talked in hushed tones, Junichiro heard them as if they were right next to him.

Sighing, he set the photo down next to him. He wasn't like others his age; when he was younger he couldn't find it in himself to run and skip like the other children. As he grew older, he was much of a socialite. He prefered to be solitary, an unknown figure walking among the normal. He didn't belong, and he knew it.

He never had a true friend in his entire life; sure, there were the occasional 'loners' who wanted to be like him, and the swarms of girls that tried to get with him because of his good looks, but none of them interested him.

Slowly rising, he picked up the photo and placed it carefully back into the shoebox and placed it under the bed. Scratching his head, he turned his attention back to the package that laid undisturbed on his bed.

_Who would send me anything?_

He sat on the bed, debating on whether to open it or to throw it away. He fingered the small brown package, the sender's name unknown to him. Rolling his eyes, he decided to open it, knowing that he would never rest easy.

With a clawed finger he ripped open the paper and tore the box open slowly. Expecting some sort of prank played on him by his classmates, he held it away from his body momentarily.

When nothing happened, he sniffed the box. _Smells like nothing . . ._

Junichiro peered into the box, noticing a smaller package that lay within. Turning the box over, it fell into his hand, a small, gold box that had a note scribbled on the top.

_To Junichiro . . . Use it with care . . ._

Raising an eyebrow, he pulled off the note and set it on his desk. Opening the small box, he was surprised to find what was inside.

Laying on top of pure white silk was a small, purple shard. It looked dull with age, its edges worn and beaten. Junichiro sighed, and picked it up. _Another big joke . . ._

However, as soon as his skin made contact with the shard, it pulsated, sending energy throughout his body. The young man gasped as the jewel's color began to change, the darkness beginning to fade as it shown a brilliant purple hue.

The light slowly disappeared, leaving a wide-eyed Junichiro on his bed, staring in amazement and horror at the small gift that lay in his hands.

_Who . . . who would give me such a gift?!_

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Souta returned to the house, mentally kicking himself for forgetting the letter he had to mail when he saw a bright light flash in his nephew's room. He dropped the letter in his hand, his heart racing as he feared for his nephew's life, and bounded up the stairs two at a time as he headed for his room.

"Junichiro! Junichiro, what happened?!" The older man barged into the room, breathless and disheveled.

He searched the room frantically before seeing the young man was on his bed, his fist outstretched as he was backed against the wall. He took in nephew's bewildered expression; he had never seen Junichiro in this condition, his eyes wild as he glanced back and forth between his uncle and his fist.

"I . . . I don't know . . ." He stammered, his face pale.

Souta strode across the room, examining Junichiro. Seeing there were no bruises or cuts, he shook his head and ran a hand through his brown hair. "That light . . . where did it come from?"

With a shaky hand Junichiro brough his fist to his uncle's face, opening it slowly to reveal the newly purified shard.

Souta gasped, reaching out and grabbing his nephew's hand, bringing the small specimen closer to his face. Sure enough, it was the same exact object that his sister use to bring home many years ago . . . a sibling to those that Kagome used to travel between the two times . . .

"A Shikon Jewel shard . . ."

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_AN:_ another chapter . . . I believe I'll be updating "Beneath the Tangles" now . . . so what'd you guys think of this chapter?

thanks for the reviews . . .

stay tuned!


	3. Dream

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

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"Shikon . . . Jewel shard?"

Souta broke his gaze from the fragment and stared into his nephew's eyes. Where there was once emptiness was now curiousity, loneliness replaced with amazement. "Hai."

Junichiro trembled as he stared at the glowing shard in his palm. _Shikon . . . _"Isn't that the name of the--"

"The Jewel that was embedded in your mother's body," the older man confirmed. Tears filled his eyes at the remembrance of his sister.

"Are . . . you sure?" the young man asked, uncertain. He fumbled around for the box, opening it with shaking hands as he dropped the shard back inside. "How . . . how do you know?"

His uncle made a weird noise, before a strange look crept on his face. Sighing, Souta sat next to his nephew, patting his knee. "I've seen the shards many times, Junichiro, and this is definately one of them. How . . . where did you get this?" he asked, taking the box and peering inside. _These shards . . . they should've been whole by now . . ._

Junichiro shrugged, reaching for the box the shard arrived in. "I don't recognize the sender," he mumbled, fingering the rough edges.

Souta took the box from the younger man and examined the name. "Morita . . ." he murmered. He frowned as he stared at the kanji character in front of the surname, wondering why it was smudged.

"Do you know the name?"

He shook his head, handing the box back to his nephew. "I don't believe I do."

Standing, Souta made to leave when Junichiro's voice stopped him. "Uncle? What . . . what do I do with this?"

The older man closed his eyes momentarily before turning around, his face contorted in another unusual expression. "Keep it safe," he murmered, before leaving the room.

Junichiro watched as he shut the door behind him, before glancing back down at the open box containing the Shikon shard.

_Keep it safe . . ._

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"What was it? What's wrong?" Hitomi pressed, jumping on her husband as soon as she heard him walk down the stairs. "What was that bright flash?"

Souta rubbed his chin wearily. "Junichiro . . . Junichiro recieved a Shikon shard."

The woman gasped, following him to the door. "What did you do? Did you take it? It's not safe in his--"

"Its in his possession," Souta cut off, putting on his hat. Making sure the letter was in his pocket, he kissed his wife on the cheek.

"But, but why?" Hitomi asked incrediously. "You know what'll happen if he gets near the well . . ."

Her husband nodded. "Yes, I do know. But something tells me I shouldn't interfere. I'll be home for dinner." With that, he left the house.

_Junichiro . . . I don't believe the shard was sent to you by mistake . . . it would be wrong for me to keep your destiny from you . . ._

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The young man sat in his chair, staring at the glowing shard in front of him. _A Shikon Jewel shard . . . what the hell . . ._

He didn't understand. He didn't understand why a shard of the Jewel his parents died for was sent to him. According to his uncle, the jewel should've been restored . . . so why was there a fragment laying in a box on his desk?

Souta . . . he suspected that his uncle was hiding something from him. In fact, he _knew_ he was hiding something from him. How he so quickly left the room and told him to keep the shard safe . . .

_Why doesn't anyone tell me anything?!_

Frustration and anger began to build up inside him as he glared at the fragment. _What do you want from me? What the hell do you want from me?!?!?_

He clenched his teeth, his emotions seething as he continued to mentally curse the Shikon shard. _You . . . you were the reason my parents were killed . . . you were inside my mother's body . . . you were hunted down by demons, including my father . . . now you come to me . . . what am I suppose to do with you?!?!_

He slammed his fist on the table, releasing his emotions for the first time in many months. _Why . . . why, damnit, why!?!?!_

Junichiro roughly took the lid, covered the shard, and threw it across the table. He tugged at his forelocks that framed his face, snarling as he reached up and grabbed his unruly bangs. _Stupid shard . . ._

Standing from his desk, he made for his closet to get a towel for a shower when the shard began to pulsate once more. He backed up as the aura of the fragment began to glow brighter, its energy filling the entire room.

Feeling helpless and frightened, he was about to yell for his aunt when the same light that shone around the shard engulfed him, sending him into complete darkness.

Junichiro watched as his room disappeared into oblivion, darkness surrounding him. His only source of light was his own body, which illuminated the darkness around him with a dim, purple hue.

_What's going on?!?_ He glanced around furiously, only to find the inky blackness of gloom. _Where the hell am I? _

-------------------------------------

"Junichiro?"

Hitomi pressed her ear to her nephew's door. There were no indications of the young man inside, but she knew better. Knocking once more, she turned the doorknob and stepped through the doorway.

The room was dark, as normal. The shades remained drawn, and there were no lights that were turned on. Glancing around, she finally found Junichiro's form sprawled on his bed.

_He's asleep . . ._ The woman walked forward, and placing a kiss on his forehead, pulled the covers over him. "I'll save some dinner for you," she whispered, pulling a stray strand of hair out of his face. She stood to leave, walking towards the doorway when a glimmer caught her eye. She spotted the Shikon shard, nestled between Junichiro's long fingers.

Smiling, she turned and left the room, closing the door behind her.

_Sweet dreams, Junichiro . . . may this fragment be the link to your parents . . ._

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"Is anyone there?" the young man called out, his black ears twitching as he searched for any noises.

_This is getting me nowhere . . . _"Hello?! Can anyone help me?!"

Junichiro rubbed his face, frustrated and lost. _How am I going to get out of here? _

Suddenly a blood-curdling scream filled the air, causing the young man to jump. A strange heat struck his back as he turned, his eyes blinded by a bright light that suddenly shone in his face.

"Hello?!" he yelled, shielding his eyes as he heard the voices get closer. "Hello?! Is anyone there?"

"Inuyasha! Hurry, we don't have much time!"

_Inuyasha?!? That's . . . that's father's name!_ "Hello? Can anyone hear me?" The bright light suddenly disappeared, and Junichiro fell flat on his face, eating a mouthful of dirt.

_Ugh . . . how disgusting! _He spat, rubbing the dirt that entered his eyes. "Kagome, take Shippou and run!"

_Kagome? Mother!_ He shot up from the ground, pulling his hair out of his face just in time to see a woman and a young child run past him.

Her long, midnight black hair flew wildly behind her, her arrows slung on her back as she carried her bow in one hand. Even as she ran, she was as graceful as a swan, her miko clothes giving her the ethereal illusion that she was flying.

_Mother . . ._ he breathed, taking in the beautiful sight. The young child, who was probably named Shippou, ran after her, his reddish brown hair flying in his face as his tail--

_Wait, a **tail**?!? Since when did children have tails?!_

Suddenly Kagome stopped, her brown eyes searching behind her as a worried look overcame her face. "Inuyasha!" she cried, "Inuyasha, where are you!?!"

There was a loud explosion in a grove of trees nearby, followed by a brilliant flash of blue and gold. His mother screamed as she saw the burst of smoke that filled the air, taking Shippou by the arm and shielding him from the blast.

"Inuyasha!" she called when the forest was quiet, "Inuyasha!"

"I'm right here, Kagome! Didn't I tell you to run?!" a grumpy voice answered. Junichiro watched as a red blur leapt out of the smoke and whizzed past him and headed straight for his mother, stopping a mere few feet away.

Junichiro stared at the man before him. He was tall, his long silver hair falling messily down his back. His piercing gold eyes scanned Kagome carefully, checking for any injuries.

"I was worried about you," the woman admitted, stroking back his hair to reveal . . .

_Dog ears? _

"Feh, stupid woman," he snorted, rolling his eyes. He gave Kagome a sly glance before answering, "We're far from done, you know."

"I know," she whispered, rubbing one of the triangular apendages.

"Ewww, would you two stop the cute, fuzzy moment?" The child whined, jumping in between the couple. "In case you forgot, Naraku's still hot on our trail."

Another loud explosion followed the young demon's words, catching the attention of the trio. Sighing, Inuyasha unsheathed the sword that hung on his side, the blade transforming into a large fang.

"Ready?" The hanyou nudged his wife, stooping slightly to have her climb on his back.

"Ready as I'll ever be," she nodded, taking out an arrow and notching it in her bow.

"For Junichiro?" Inuyasha asked, hugging Kagome's legs tighter around his waist.

"For Junichiro," The miko agreed firmly, securing the kitsune between her and her husband before they charged back into the battle.

"Mother! Father!" The young man cried, watching as the two disappeared into the smoke. _They . . . they didn't see me . . ._

Blackness began to surround him again, his sight of the forest and dark smoke disintergrating. "Wait! Mother! Father!"

_Mother . . . Father . . ._

-------------------------------

The young man sat up in his bed, gasping for breath. He glanced around, noticing that he was back in his room. He clutched his chest, his heart pounding as he felt something warm in his palm. Opening his fist, he found the Shikon shard resting against his skin. _What . . ._

"Junichiro? Are you alright?" His aunt and uncle opened the door, their faces etched with worry.

"Wha--"

"We heard you screaming," Hitomi informed, rushing to his side.

"It looks like you've seen a ghost!" Souta exclaimed, following his wife. "Did you have a bad dream or something?"

"Dream?"

_Was it all just a dream . . ._

_-----------------------------------_

_AN:_ I know, I promised a Beneath the Tangles update, but I was just so into this one today that I couldn't stop. So what do you guys think of Junichiro so far? I'd appreciate reviews!

Thanks for the reviews!

stay tuned!


	4. Wishing

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!!

-------------------------------

_A dream . . . was that all really just a dream?_

The young man stared out the kitchen window, the sun's early rays spilling forth and bathing everything in light. His brown-gold eyes watched as a young child climbed a tree nearby, his ears twitching as he listened to the sound of the chirping birds and screeching cars below.

"Junichiro-kun?"

Snapping out of his daydream, he glanced down to see his younger cousin staring up at him with big, doeful eyes. Her hair was done up in pigtails, her mouth smudged with chocolate as her rosebud lips were formed in a perfect 'O'.

"Yes, Sanako?" He felt his heart twinge as he watched the young three year old's round face break into a smile.

"Happy birthday!" she squeaked, presenting him with a newspaper-wrapped gift, obviously made this morning by the date of the article.

"Domo arigatou, Sanako-chan," he murmered, reaching down and slightly ruffling her hair.

"Do itashi mashite!" the child squealed, estatic at the rare show of affection her usually stotic cousin. She then skipped off, giggling as she went to tell her brothers of her success.

_Birthday . . . right . . . I forgot . . ._ Junichiro sighed, carefully placing the gift next to his breakfast. _I'm sixteen . . ._

"Junichiro! Junichiro!" _Great . . . more fun . . ._

The young man turned to see Ryu and Ryo, his twin cousins, jet into the kitchen, breathless with excitement. "Happy birthday, Nii-chan!" they shouted, barreling into each other as they sprinted towards their adopted sibling.

Junichiro winced as the term for 'older brother' was shouted throughout the house. He was about to brace himself for the twin canons' impact when a figure stepped between them.

"Boys . . ." Hitomi warned, placing her hands on her hip. "Why don't you go out and play with Sanako? Junichiro is too tired to play with you today."

Blinking at each other, Ryo and Ryu shuffled back outside, clearly disappointed.

"Children," the woman muttered, turning back to her nephew. "Any plans after you finish your breakfast?"

Junichiro shrugged. "Not really; I was planning to take a walk later, but that's pretty much it."

Nodding, Hitomi turned back to the stove. "Just be home for dinner; we're having something special for your birthday."

The young man spooned the last of his eggs into his mouth, rose, and deposited the plate in the sink. "I need to go clear my head," he mumbled, grabbing his jacket as he left the house.

"Be back before sundown!" his aunt called, listening to the front door slam behind him.

_What exactly did he dream about last night?_

---------------------------

Junichiro made sure to go the long way around the house, as to not to run into his hyperactive and enthusiastic cousins. Walking past Goshinboku, he glanced at the wellhouse before heading towards the stairs.

As he stepped onto the busy sidewalk, he was hit with so many scents and noises that he nearly fell over. _Ugh . . . one more reason I don't go out that often . . ._

Lowering his head, he quickly walked toward the park nearby, dodging people with agility. He reached up, and making sure his ears were securely hidden underneath his hair, entered the park's gates.

Junichiro sighed, the suffocating smells of the city slightly drowned out by the beautiful scent of flowers, trees, and grass. He glanced around, and seeing there weren't many people, began wandering down the familiar path he had walked countless times before.

_That episode last night . . . it didn't feel like a dream . . ._

He passed by a clump of rose bushes, their blood-red color reminding him of a certain haori. _If that was real . . . then Father really **is** a hanyou . . ._

Sinking into an empty bench, he groaned, burying his face in his hands. _I'm so confused . . . more confused than before . . ._

_Mother . . . Father . . . was that really you? If what I saw last night was real, then Uncle's stories are true . . . _

He grimaced as he remembered their exhausted faces, their weary bodies as they darted in the midst of the battle. _"For Junichiro . . ."_

_They said my name . . . it must be true . . ._

He bit his lip, his sharp canines nearly drawing blood. _Maybe it was just my imagination . . . my mind's making up stories to ease my confused head about Mother and Father . . ._

Junichiro dug into his shirt pocket, pulling out the small object that held so much power. _This shard . . ._

He turned it over in his palm, tracing the edges as it reached the tip. _Uncle said that these shards were sought after all demons, including Father . . . if his blood runs through me, shouldn't I be craving it's power as well?_

**Flashback**

_"So . . . my father was a half-demon? A hanyou?"_

_The man looked at the child with great sympathy and concern. He knew that he wouldn't completely understand at the age of 6, but he had to start repeating the stories of his strange heritage to his nephew to help it sink in._

_"Hai, Junichiro. Your father was a great hanyou."_

_The young boy frowned, looking at his small, clawed hands. "Does that mean I'm a hanyou too?"_

_Smiling, Souta shook his head. "Not exactly; your father was half . . . so it would make you a quarter demon. You're more human than hanyou, but you have the same abilities as your father without the threat of a demonic side taking over your human."_

_Junichiro sent his uncle a quizzical look, before asking, "And my mother? Was she a youkai?"_

_The older man chuckled, scooping down and placing his nephew on his lap. "No, she wasn't. In fact, she was the complete opposite of a youkai. She was a miko."_

_"A miko? What's that?"_

_Souta held the young child close, savoring the memories of his sweet sister. "One of the purest human beings on the earth; your mother was one of the angelic beings on the planet, with the ability to heal and purify."_

_Scrunching his nose, Junichiro thought a moment. "So wait, if Mother's a miko and miko's are good, and Father's a youkai and youkai's are bad, then Father was bad? So what does that make me?"_

_The young child watched as his uncle's face was washed with confusion. "Well . . ."_

_"But Father wasn't all bad, was he?" Junichiro continued, "He had human in him, so he was half good and half bad. And Mother was all good. So I have more good in me than bad."_

_Souta listened in amazement as his six-year old nephew concluded his innocent but rather accurate theory. "That's precisely correct, Junichiro," he agreed, ruffling his hair. Although dumbfounded at the young child's intellect, he wasn't at all surprised, considering his lineage of both miko and demon. _

_"I'm more good than bad . . ."_

**End Flashback**

_Mother was a miko . . . the combination of both youkai and miko must have made me immune to the shard's power . . ._

He sat back in the bench as he watched three young girls past him, chasing a loose balloon. _I wonder what they were like . . . I mean **really** like . . . _

_Maybe things would've been different if they were alive . . . maybe I would've been different . . ._

Sighing, he shook his head sadly. He was wishing for a lost cause, an impossible ambition that was beyond hope.

_Hopeless . . . that's the all my life is . . ._

Standing, he glanced at his watch, noticing it was a little past noon. Seeing the park begin to fill up, he decided to leave, heading back towards the Shrine.

_Maybe Obaa-san will visit . . . it **is **my birthday after all . . ._

Katsuko had moved away from her home Shrine shortly after her grandson arrived from the past. She had waited two months for her daughter to return, but Kagome never came back. Mrs. Higurashi, the painful memories of her daughter becoming unbearable, moved to the other side of Tokyo.

His Obaa-san was clearly his favorite out of all his family members. Katsuko understood him the best, and she never judged him. It was only to her he could let out bits and pieces of his most hidden emotions and thoughts.

What he liked best, however, were the countless stories of his mother that Obaa-san would tell him. As he climbed the Shrine steps, tales of his mother coming home from a long stay in the Sengoku Jidai flooded his memory. Katsuko would tell him about the times his mother returned, half asleep and sore, and how she would inhale her dinner. Then there were times when Inuyasha would come and get her, scolding her for taking too long at school.

Petty moments such as those that although were normal to Mrs. Higurashi, knew would be precious to her oldest grandchild.

Junichiro finally reached the top of the stairs, a strange smile on his face as he remembered the stories. Glancing at the house, he decided to take a quick detour before returning.

Thankful that his cousins weren't in sight, he headed for the place he headed every year on his birthday.

The well house.

He didn't know why he visited the well house; nothing supernatural ever happened to him while he was in there. But still, year after year he returned.

Sliding the door closed behind him, he slowly treaded down the small staircase that led to the actual well. He enjoyed the cool darkness that surrounded him, the quiet reverence that the well exuded.

Taking a deep breath, he peered down the well, staring into the inky blackness. Like every year, he saw nothing.

Sighing, he swung his legs over the edge, his feet dangling in the well as he sat on the lip of the well. Clearing his rhtoat, he began to speak.

"Father . . . Mother . . . it's my 16th birthday." He knew it was foolish to talk to an inanimate object, but this old well was the only connection he had to his parents.

"I recieved this strange object a few days ago . . ." Junichiro fumbled in his shirt pocket for the fragment. "Uncle says its a Shikon shard, and it holds great power. I'm not sure about the Shikon part, but it does hold great power."

Junichiro bit his lip, hoping to hear a voice talk back to him, but all he heard was the eerie silence. Running a shaking hand through his black hair, he hung his head.

"Father . . . Mother . . . I've come to this well every year since my 6th birthday. I . . . Uncle has told me many stories about you, but its not the same . . . I need you two here . . . here with me . . ."

A tear escaped his brown-gold eyes, dropping into the darkness of the well below. Two more followed as the young man tried to wipe them away with his sleeve.

Dropping his hand to his side, he opened his palm, revealing the glimmering shard. Even in the dim light it seemed beautiful, its luminescence clear.

"I . . . I wish, more than anything in the world, to see you again . . . to be with me again . . ." he whispered.

Suddenly, the Shikon shard began to pulsate, sending waves of energy vibrating throughout the small hut. Junichiro watched dumbfoundedly as the same energy that was exuding out of the fragment was also spilling forth out of the bottom of the well.

"Wha--whoa!" he yelled as he was pushed forward into the well. Reaching out, he managed to grab onto the edge, holding on for his life as the energy continued to suck him back in. _What the hell is going on!?_

"AHHHH!" he shouted, the force of the pull too great for him to resist. Junichiro felt himself fall into the well, remembering only staring up at the ceiling of the well house before purple light engulfing him as he disappeared completely.

--------------------------------

_AN:_ I know! I know I promised a "Beneath the Tangles" update, but it's been so hard picking up where I left off! xx before you all kill me, let me inform you that the latest chapter is half-way done, and it will be up by tomorrow evening, I SWEAR!!!!!!

I can tell by the reviews that you all don't like this story as much as "Beneath the Tangles," but preeettttty please, give it a try? it's not so bad . . . (at least I don't think it is . . .)

so Junichiro falls down the well . . . what'll happen next? what'll he find? stay tuned to find out!


	5. Encounter

_Disclaimer: _I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

-------------------------------

Katsuko watched as the sun began to set, the purple and orange swirled sky dimming as she stared out the window. Taking a sip of her coffee, she remembered how she use to sit by this same window, waiting for her Kagome to come home . . .

"Mother? Have you seen Junichiro?"

The woman turned, gray-streaked hair glistening in the sparse light. Her brown eyes, so much like her daughter's, focused on her son's figure standing in the door way.

"Iie; is something wrong?"

Souta ran his hand through his thick hair, his cinnamon eyes worried. "Hitomi told him to return at sundown when he left this morning, but he hasn't returned; this isn't like him at all."

Mrs. Higurashi stood from her rocking chair, smoothing out her grey skirt. "Don't fret so much, dear. Maybe he went to the mall or the movies or something."

Checking his watch for the umpteenth time, her son shook his head. "Junichiro never goes to the mall or the movies; the scents and noise drive him insane. All I know is that he went for a walk in the park after breakfast, and he hasn't come home since."

Katsuko thought a moment, gazing into her coffee. Her daughter's face suddenly appeared in her cup, her brown eyes the same exact color as the dark liquid.

_Kagome . . . my sweet little girl . . . _

She watched as Kagome's face disappeared, only to be replaced with her grandson's. _Junichiro . . . _

Her daughter then appeared once more, melding with the young man. As the two's faces joined, the similarites between them were uncanny.

_Junichiro . . . Kagome . . ._

A thought quickly popped into her head. "Souta, does Junichiro ever go near the well?"

Her son was taken aback by the abrupt question. "Now that you mention it . . . Hitomi once told me that it was his ritual to visit the well ever year on his birthday."

"Has he ever tried going through?"

Rubbing the back of his neck, Souta shook his head. "Never; I mean, even if he tried, he wouldn't be able to get through without a--oh Kami!"

Setting her cup on a nearby coffee table, she followed her son, who rushed out of the house and across the courtyard towards the well house.

"What's the matter, Souta? Did something happen?"

Her son didn't answer, but proceeded towards the small hut. Throwing the door open, he rushed down the steps and stopped before the well.

"Souta, what's wrong?" Katsuko asked worriedly, entering the house a few moments after him.

"He's . . . he's gone . . ." The man whispered, staring into the emptiness of the well.

"Gone? Who? Junichiro?" Mrs. Higuarshi padded down the stairs to stand by her son. Peering down the well, she saw only darkness.

"Junichiro . . . he passed through the well," he murmured. Never tearing his eyes off the well, he took a shaking hand and pointed to the small object.

Frowning, Katsuko leaned over, a splash of green catching her eye. Leaning towards the side, she noticed a piece of cloth hanging from a loose nail, apparently ripped from the rest of the garment.

Reaching inside and taking it, she held it out to Souta. "It's impossible. How could he pass without--"

"He recieved one last night. In the mail."

The woman gaped at him in horror. "In the mail?! From whom?"

Souta shook his head. "We don't know; the sender's name was unfamiliar." Gazing at the piece of green material in his mother's hand, he suddenly frowned. "How did you know to ask about the well?"

Blinking, Katsuko let her arm fall slowly to her side. "Call it a premonition," she mumbled. She glanced at back at the well, her hand tightening around the cloth.

_Kagome . . . Junichiro follows in your footsteps . . . _

----------------------------

_Ugh . . .where am I?_

Junichiro sat up, his head throbbing. He felt the gravel beneath him stir as he tried to stand, but fell back down. _What's wrong with me . . . I'm so dizzy . . ._

Rubbing his head, he looked up, startled to see the bright, blue sky instead of the aging roof of the well house. He stood, suprised to see vines hanging down the edges of the well. _What the hell . . ._

"Uncle? Aunt Hitomi? Obaa-san?" he called out, hoping to hear a familiar voice. The chirp of birds answered him back, along with the whisper of rushing water in a stream nea--

_Wait, a stream? Since when did our shrine have a stream!?_

"Hello!? Anyone there?!?"

Again, his efforts were in vain. It seemed as though there was no one around for miles. Gazing at the vines that hung on the walls, he concoted a plan.

Jumping up, he grabbed a vine, only to have it snap under his weight, causing him to fall back down into the ground with a loud thud.

"Oof!" _Ugh, this is getting me no where . . ._

"Hello? Is anyone down there?"

Junichiro's ears perked up to hear a voice. "Hai! I'm, I'm stuck at the bottom of the well and I can't get out! Can you help me?"

"Hold on, I will throw down a rope!"

He heard rustling overhead as a long rope cascaded down to his face. "Climb up!" the voice called.

Grabbing the rope between his clawed hands, he effortlessly climbed to the top, surprised at his own swift abilities. _If I could do that, I could've gotten out of the well on my own . . ._

Junichiro finally reached the top, crawling over the edge as he landed on the soft grass that surrounded the well. To his horror, instead of a well house, he found trees and green grass, with no signs of modern civilization to be seen.

"Are ye alright, child?"

Accidentally forgetting about his rescuer, he turned to come face to face with an old woman with a patch on her eye. Staring at her clothing, he was surprised to see her dressed in miko garb that was worn centuries ago.

"Um, yea, I'm fine," he mumbled, scratching his head. _Now what am I suppose to do?_

The old woman scrutinized him for a moment, before saying, "Have I seen ye somewhere before, child?"

Junichiro frowned, staring at the woman dead on. "Uh, I don't think so . . ."

It was the woman's turn to stare at his clothing. "Ye . . . ye aren't from around here, are ye?"

"I guess not," the young man murmured, suddenly feeling very conspicious with his clothing. He was surprised to see the woman gesture towards a certain direction. "Come; ye must be tired."

Startled, Junichiro followed the old woman, too surprised to speak.

"My name is Kaede," she said after awhile, "And I am the priestess here."

"Here? Where exactly is . . . oh . . ." a small village came into view as they passed the forest. There were small cabins scattered around, as he saw people working the the rice paddies down in a river below.

"Come," Kaede motioned, entering a small hut near a tall staircase. Pushing the mat aside, he entered a small room with a fire pit in the middle.

"What is thee's name, child?" she asked, setting the basket she held aside. She gestured him to sit as she began to start a fire.

"Junichiro," he mumbled, staring at the strange utensils she used to prepare food. _Where the hell am I? I don't believe I'm in Tokyo anymore . . ._

"Nice to meet you, Junich--"

"Kaede! We're back!"

Junichiro jumped at the sound of a childish voice barging into the hut, followed by a small figure rushing in.

"Hey Kaed--oh, hello," the small child blinked, noticing Junichiro in the room.

The young man stared at the child with the tail protuding from his backside, the same child he had seen in his dream the other night. _Shippou . . . _

"Uh, hi," he returned, unsure of what to say.

"Lady Kaede!"

Junichiro turned to see two more figures enter the hut. One was a young man, probably only a few years older than himself, dressed in ancient monk robes and holding a staff. His black hair was cropped short, save for the small ponytail at the base of his neck.

The other was a woman, her long, brown hair held back in a low ponytail. She wore a pink and green kimono, on her back a large boomerang. Her piercing brown eyes saw him faster than the man did.

"Who is this?" she asked Kaede, stepping forward.

"This is Junichiro," the old miko announced, poking the fire. "Junichiro, this Miroku and Sango."

"H--"

"For the last time, Kagome, you're not going home!"

"I'd like to see you stop me, Inuyasha!"

Junichiro's ears twitched at the sound of his parent's voices. _Father . . . Mother . . ._

Moments later two more people stomped into the hut, each fuming with the other. The girl's hair was long and black, rippling down her back. Her brown eyes were flashing with irritation at her companion, a tall, lean, man, with silver hair and sharp golden eyes.

The young man held his breath as the two continued to argue, oblivious to his presence. _My parents . . ._

"Ahem."

Inuyasha and Kagome stopped mid-argument to turn and look at Kaede. "What do you want, old woman?" The hanyou snarled, glaring at her.

"If ye two would stop fighting for a moment ye would see that we have a visitor."

Blinking, the two stopped, staring at the young man with long black hair and nearly-golden eyes. Junichiro gulped as he felt his parents' gaze on him, his ears beginning to feel hot as he began to feel flustered.

_This wasn't exactly my idea of a first meeting . . ._

_-------------------------------_

_AN:_ dun dun dun! Junichiro finally meets Inuyasha and the gang! what'll happen next? What'll Inuyasha say? only time knows . . .

thanks for the reviews!

stay tuned!


	6. Suspicions

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

-------------------------------

"Inuyasha, Kagome, meet Junichiro."

There was an awkward silence between the three as they stared at one another. Junichiro felt every muscle in his body tense, his ears twitching beneath his hair as he listened to the old woman stoke the fire.

"Uh, hey," he mumbled, averting his eyes. For some reason, he felt intimidated under the hanyou's piercing gaze.

"Hello," Kagome offered softly, cocking her head to the side slightly. _He seems familiar . . ._

Junichiro gazed at his mother, his eyes beginning to mist as he stared into her brown eyes. He felt a sudden warmth come over him, and he knew he could feel at ease around the young woman that stood before him.

The other person, however, didn't feel quite as peaceful. Glancing back and forth between the young miko and the newcomer, he felt his blood boil.

"Who are you?" Inuyasha demanded, stomping over to the seated young man and glaring at him straight in the eye. _If he even **thinks** about Kagome . . ._

"Uh . . ."

"You're not from around here," the hanyou continued, sniffing the air. "I can smell it on you."

"Well . . ."

"I was passing by when I heard him calling for help from the bottom of the well. How he got there, I do not know." Kaede interrupted, staring at Junichiro. "Tell us, child, who are ye, and where do ye come from?"

Gulping, the young man felt the room around him shrink. "Umm . . . well . . ."

"Don't be scared, we won't hurt you," The woman with the magenta-colored eye shadow assured. _Sango, I think her name was . . ._

Glancing around him, he noticed everyone's easy gaze on him, everyone except the silver-haired man. His eyes then averted back to his mother, his thoughts puzzled.

_Doesn't she recognize me? At all?_

A low growl from Junichiro's side reminded him that everyone was waiting for his answers. Scratching his head, he shakily began.

"Uh . . . well . . . my name's Junichiro, and I'm from Tokyo."

"Tokyo!" Everyone exclaimed, turning their gazes to the young miko. "Kagome, isn't that where you're from?"

The young man's mother frowned momentarily, before nodding a slow, "Hai."

"So you're from Kagome's home? Do you two know each other?" Shippou asked, his eyes wide with excitement.

Junichiro was about to reply a quick "no" when Kagome surprised him by walking over to him. She stared at him curiously a moment, before glancing at Inuyasha quickly.

"You don't look familar . . . but you feel familiar . . ." she murmured, puzzled by her own words.

"Well, if he _is_ from ye time, Kagome, he must be exhausted," Kaede grumbled, ladling soup into a bowl. "Now, all ye wait outside as I feed this young man, and I will be out shortly."

With a few more glances at the newcomer, the group slowly filed out. Junichiro let out a loud sigh as he watched Inuyasha's red-clad form leave the room, the hanyou's death-glare still fresh in his mind.

"Um, Kaede-sama?" Junichiro asked uneasily, accepting the bowl that was handed to him, "Those two . . . the ones called Inuyasha and Kagome . . ."

"Hmm?" The old woman turned and stared at him with her one eye. "What about them?"

"Are . . . are they married . . . or something?"

Kaede's eyebrows reached her hairline as she stifled back a laugh. "Inuyasha and Kagome? Nay, child, they are not. As much as they seem to care for each other, they are no older than ye are."

Junichiro's eyes widened as he managed to nod. "Now, finish the soup, I will be outside if ye need me."

Watching the old woman leave, he looked down at the shaking bowl of soup in his hands.

_As old as me?! Just how far did I go back!?_

-------------------------------------

"I don't like him."

The hanyou sat beneath a tree, his tessaiga in hand as he made his feelings about the stranger to the group.

"He doesn't seem that bad," Kagome reasoned, fumbling into her pack for the ramen she promised Inuyasha.

"Not that bad?!" the dog demon jumped up in the air, his eyes narrowing. "Did you _see_ how he looked at you?!"

Inuyasha's rantings were interrupted by a small chuckle nearby. "Jealous, Inuyasha?" Miroku teased, his eyes gleaming.

"Wha-jealous?!" the hanyou flustered. "Of course not!" he yelled, his face turning several shades of red.

"There is no need for ye to yell, Inuyasha," Kaede said irritably.

"He doesn't _seem_ to be a threat," Sango offered, polishing Hiraikotsu. "Inuyasha, did you smell Naraku's scent on him?

The hanyou shook his head. "No, but he did smell kind of strange; he sort of . . . he sort of smelled like Kagome."

"Well that's to be expected," Shippou pipped up, "I mean, he _is_ from the same village as her, it wouldn't be surprising if they smelled similar."

"Yeah, I know that," Inuyasha grumbled, frowning, "but it was mixed with another scent I couldn't quite make out."

"He's not human."

The group turned to stare at Kagome, who was currently stirring a pot of ramen. Her face was etched into a frown, but it looked more from puzzlement than disapproval.

"Not human?"

She lifted her head to meet everyone's gaze. "Well, not completely anyway. He has a distinct demonic aura inside, but its very faint. Surely you sensed it, Inuyasha."

"Uh . . . I . . ."

"I think he was too busy plotting how to kill him," Sango laughed, making the hanyou's face turn redder. "I must admit, he's quite the looker."

"Sango!" the monk at her side protested.

"What? He is!"

"He looks strangely familiar," Kaede mused aloud. "He seemed familiar to me, even though we had never met before."

"Doesn't he?" Kagome nodded, "I felt the same way! There's something about that . . . what's his name, Junichiro?"

Shippou slurped his ramen as he mumbled, "At first I thought he was related to you, Kagome. You two kinda look alike . . ."

"He does share a strange resemblance," Miroku agreed. "A distant relative, perhaps?"

Kagome shrugged. "He might . . . but I still don't understand how he passed through the well. There's no mistaking he's from Tokyo, with his clothes and all, but he would still need a shard . . ."

"Did you sense one on him?" Inuyasha frowned, sitting back down.

The miko shook her head. "No, I didn't. Though its a bit strange . . ."

"What?"

The young woman's face became serious as she stared into the pot of ramen. "When I sensed his demonic aura, I also felt something else . . . sort of like a type of healin--"

"Like a miko?" Sango asked, looking up from her weapon.

"Exactly. Call me crazy, but I could've sworn . . ."

"Maybe you're just tired, wench," Inuyasha grumbled, leaning against the tree. "You need a break."

Kagome's face lit up. "Does that mean I can go home?"

"Hell no."

The young miko growled in irritation at her companion. "Inuyasha . . ."

"What?"

"Osuwari."

----------------------------------

Junichiro's sensitve ears twitched as he heard a loud thud in the distance, followed by a low growl. _What the . . ._

He stared at his empty bowl, his stomach no longer hungry. Placing the bowl at his side, he dug into his pocket for his cell phone when the jewel shard fell out.

Quickly looking around, he grabbed the fragment and concealed it in his palm. Turning on his cell phone, he was dismayed to see that there was no service.

_Figures . . . they wouldn't have cell phone towers 500 and something years in the past . . ._

Stuffing the phone back into his pocket, he sighed and opened his palm. He didn't know why he didn't come right out and say that he had a Shikon Jewel shard which allowed him to pass through the well.

_Something told me to keep quiet . . . for now . . . now that's just strange . . . _

What really baffled him, however, was the age of his parents. Quickly calculating in his head, he realized that he went around 518 years back into the future, if his mother was really around his age.

_Great, I'm stuck in a time when my parents were a couple of teenagers . . . and by the looks of it, they haven't confessed their feelings, either . . . _

_Whew, I wasn't even thought of yet!_

Shaking his head, he pocketed the fragment and stood, careful not to tip over the bowl. He walked over to the mat-covered door, and pushing it aside, stared into the lush forests, green grass, and listened as the sounds of wild animals greeted him. Sniffing the air slightly, he walked towards the direction he had pinpointed the group to be.

_Since I'm here, I might as well get to know my parents . . ._

_--------------------------------------------_

_AN:_ so they meet at last! dun dun dun! but wait . . . they're younger than Junichiro expected!! what'll happen next?!?!

thanks for the reviews guys . . . the more reviews I get the more inspired I get to write!

stay tuned!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!


	7. Confrontations

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

--------------------------------

_Uncle must be worried . . . _

Junichiro stared out the window, his golden-brown eyes focusing on the glowing, white orb in the sky. Shaking his head, he glanced around the dark room.

When he had found the group earlier that day, they welcomed him easily, all except Inuyasha, that is. He had spent the rest of the day getting accquainted with every one, including his mother much to his delight.

His eyes fell on the dark figure opposite from where he sat, his purple robes wrapped around his body. Miroku, the monk, was the fourth to join the group, after Shippou. He, despite his shrewdness and sharp mind, had a lecherous habit of groping women's behinds, thus his infamous nickname, "lech."

This nickname was given to him by no other than Sango, the demon slayer. The last to join the group, she and her pet Kirara were welcomed after Naraku tricked her into fighting Inuyasha to save her younger brother, who was under the demon's control.

Junichiro's gaze shifted towards the young woman, a smile creeping on his face. Even only after a few hours with them, he could tell there was a type of chemistry between Miroku and Sango. The way he sent her mischevious looks and the half-hearted scowls she returned were more than enough to suspect something.

Stretching his legs, he noticed the young kitsune near his feet. He had to admit, he had a hard time accepting the fact that there actually _were_ demons, but Shippou seemed more like a child than the viscious demons he had dreamt up. Having lost his parents, he seemed particulary attached to the young miko.

The young man let his gaze fall on his young, sleeping mother. There was only one word to describe her: pure. She was so sweet, so loving, so caring, he felt his heart swell up with pride to think that this woman would become his mother. Sure enough, Kaede was right. After shyly asking his mother her age, she confirmed that she was only sixteen.

_Sixteen . . . according to Uncle, I would be born in four years . . .when she was twenty . . ._

_And Father would be twenty-two . . . I mean, seventy two . . . right now he's only eighteen--erm, sixty-eight . . ._

_Speaking of Father . . . where is he?_

He noticed the absence of the tempermental hanyou, slightly puzzled.

_Inuyasha . . . _

He knew at once that Inuyasha didn't approve of him. He had sent him nasty glares, probably from the attention he was receiving from Kagome. Miroku, who had taken him aside, calmly explained that Inuyasha was a little 'overprotective' of the young miko.

_Overprotective . . . keh, more like obsessed!_

Junichiro's eyes widened at the strange word he uttered in his head. _Keh? _

Shaking his head furiously, he stood, the blankets falling to his feet. _I need some fresh air . . . yeah . . . that's it . . ._

Treading lightly across the floor boards, he made his way towards the door, making sure the mat didn't swish loudly as he left the small house. Walking a few yards away, he took a deep breath, enjoying the fresh air that welcomed him.

_If only Tokyo smelled as fresh . . . ah, my senses could get use to this . . ._

Stuffing his hands into his pocket, he took off in no specific direction, enjoying the cool night air and the scent of flowers.

_I wonder what they're doing back at home . . ._

_It was my birthday . . ._

_This is just really strange . . ._

Lifting his head, he realized he wandered into a a familiar clearing, with a familiar looking object in the center.

The well.

He intook a sharp breath, and glancing around, made sure there was no one around before he started walking towards the well slowly. Stopping as his hips touched the edge, he peered inside.

_There's nothing there . . ._

"Hey runt, what're you doing over there?"

Junichiro jumped at the sound of a familar hanyou's voice. Turning slowly, he saw a pair of golden eyes staring back at him from a low branch in a nearby tree.

"Inuyasha?"

"The one and only kid," the dog demon grunted, jumping down from his perch. "What're you doing out here?"

The young man bit his lip, his slight fang pinching his flesh. "I couldn't sleep."

"Keh," Inuyasha snorted, walking towards the dark-haired man. He crossed his arms as he stared at him critically.

"Who are you _really_ kid? You might've fooled the others about your innocent "I fell down the well" crap, but you sure ain't fooling me."

Junichiro gaped at his young father's bluntness. "Na-nani?"

"You heard me," Inuyasha growled. "I've been watching you, the way you look at Kagome . . . you want the shards, don't you? So, what are you really?"

"I-I'm--"

"You're a strange one, I'll give you that," the dog demon snarled. "Kagome sensed right off your miko _and_ demonic auras, kid. How that happened, I have no idea. For all I know you cou--"

"Shut up!"

The hanyou blinked in surprise at the young man's sudden outburst. "What did you say?"

"I said, SHUT UP!" Junichiro glared at the slightly older man, slightly baring his fangs. "You don't know anything about me, so stop trying to sum me up in a couple of sentences!"

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow at the young man. "Well aren't you a cheeky bas--"

"I'm not done!" the young man snapped, eyeing him with ferocity. "I'm tired of people judging me by the few things I do! I have lived all my life, _all_ my damn life trying to figure out who I am, and what my purpose is. And its people like you who just waltz in and think they know every damn thing in the world, and tear me down just when I'm building myself up. I don't know how I could be re--"

Junichiro stopped just as he realized what he was about to say.

"Could be what, kid?"

The young man sent another glare at the hanyou before running his clawed fingers through his hair. "Nevermind," he uttered, unconsciously releasing his secret apendages.

_What's wrong with me? One minute I'm blowing a fuse at this idiot of a father, and the next I'm blowing my cover! Good job, Ju--_

"What the hell?!"

Reluctantly breaking out of his thought, he turned to scowl at the hanyou. "What do you want now?!"

Junichiro watched as Inuyasha's eyes widened, his jaw slightly dropping open as he pointed a clawed finger at the top of his head.

"Holy crap . . ." he murmured, taking a step closer. "Holy freaking crap . . ."

"What?!"

Inuyasha suddenly frowned, crossing his arms across his chest. "Those . . . those aren't real, are they? Those things on your head?"

Junichiro's hand flew up to his head, his face paling as he felt his fuzzy triangular ears. "Uh . . ."

He was cut off by the sound of Inuyasha's howling laughter echoing throughout the forest. Junichiro stared at his young father, unsure if he found his ears comical, or if he had just gone insane all together.

The laughing hanyou stumbled closer as the young man stared wide-eyed, slightly unnerved by the dog demon's drastic change of mood.

"Why didn't you tell me, runt?" he howled, smacking Junichiro on the back. "Why didn't you tell me you were a dog demon?"

"I . . ."

"Wow," Inuyasha gasped, steadying himself. "Kid--"

"What's going on here?"

The two men turned around to face a rather sleepy and disgruntled Kagome, rubbing an eye and holding a lantern.

"Kagome? What're you doing up?" Inuyasha growled low. Junichiro nearly snickered at the protective tone his father took.

"Well, I _was_ sleeping, until I heard this disturbing noise," Kagome muttered, ignoring the red face that Inuyasha took. "Then I noticed Junichiro was gone, so I went out to investigate."

"By yourself?!" Inuyasha nearly yelled. "What if some demon was out here to--"

"Don't be stupid, baka," the young miko retorted. "I came prepared--" she turned to show her bow and arrows slung across her back. "And besides, if there _was_ danger nearby, you'd be here in a flash to save my behind."

Turning her sleepy gaze to the other man, she blinked. "Wha-oh, Junichiro!" She quickly rubbed her eyes, and blinked somemore. "I thought I was seeing two Inuyashas for a moment."

Junichiro scratched his nose nervously. _If you only knew . . ._

"Oy Kagome!" Inuyasha started, "This little runt's actually a do--"

"Shut up!" the dark-haired man hissed, delivering a swift blow to his ribs.

Kagome stared for a moment, before giggling. "I swear, you two are exactly alike," she murmured, "if it wasn't for the different hair color and eyes, you'd be identical, right down to the dog ears . . ." She stopped, staring hard at the top of Junichiro's head.

"Dog ears . . ."

---------------------------------

_AN:_ whew, another chapter . . . yayayayayayayayayayayayayay!

Oh, before I forget . . . **_MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!_**

anyways, how do you like the story so far? Junichiro was shown as sort of meek and timid in the first few chapters, but remember, he's also Inuyasha's son! There were a few moments in this chapter of Junichiro's inner 'tempermental side' . . . ohhh man!!

I made a mistake . . . dun dun dun! Last chapter (chapter six) it said that Junichiro went 518 years into the past . . . I checked my calculations again today, and its actually suppose to be 521 years . . . I'm sorry to all those who like accurate numbers . . . :-)

thanks for the reviews guys! it helps me keep on going . . . and going . . .and going . . .

stay tuned, and Happy Holidays!


	8. Theories

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

------------------------------

_Crap . . . crap, crap, crap, crap, CRAP!!!!_

Junichiro saw the dark forest swirl in front his eyes, his head suddenly feeling light-headed. _Crap . . ._

Inuyasha stared hard at the young man beside him. He had turned several shades paler in a matter of seconds, his eyes that glowed golden in the dim moonlight growing as wide as saucers. Frowning, he noticed Junichiro's left ear twitching uncontrollably.

_Hey . . . I do that too!_

Watching the young man stumble, Kagome took a concerned step forward. "Junichiro? Are you alright?"

"Uh, fine fine . . ." he muttered, holding his head with a hand. "Tired, that's all."

"Go to sleep, kid," Inuyasha ordered, heading back to the tree.

The dark-haired man turned slowly to watch the hanyou's retreating back. "Huh?"

"You heard me," the dog demon grumbled, jumping up into the tree. "Go to sleep."

Staring wide-eyed at the now-still tree, Junichiro wobbled towards Kagome, his head spinning.

"C'mon," she coaxed, stretching out her arm, "You look exhausted."

"Uh, yeah . . ." Junichiro trailed off, following her back to the hut. Before they left the clearing he glanced back, his thoughts tangled.

_He knows I'm a dog demon . . ._

_Why didn't he tell her?_

---------------------------------------------------

"What happened last night, Kagome?"

The young miko paused from her herb picking, sitting back on her legs. "Don't know. I woke up when I heard this really disturbing noise, and then I noticed Junichiro was missing. So when I went outside to investigate, I found Inuyasha and him talking by Goshinboku."

"Have any idea what they were talking about?" Sango inquired, hurling the Hiraikotsu at a nearby tree, neatly slicing it in half.

"No idea," the young woman shook her head. "They stopped talking when they saw me."

"Guy talk maybe?" the demon slayer suggested, springing into the air as she caught the large boomerang.

"Maybe," Kagome mumbled, wiping her brow. "Strangest thing though."

"What?" the older woman glanced at her friend.

"When I first saw them last night, I could've sworn those two were identical."

"Identical?"

Kagome picked up her bow and arrows, nodding her head. "Exactly the same; same bone structure, same hair length, even same eye color."

"But aren't Inuyasha's eyes gold?" Sango crouched low on the ground as she prepared to launch Hiraikotsu at another tree.

"Well, yeah," the young miko notched an arrow. "But Junichiro's eyes have that golden-glow to it."

"So, the look identical," Sango grunted, throwing the large weapon. "Any more clues on who he is?"

Letting an arrow fly to a nearby tree, the young woman whispered, "He's a dog demon."

"What?!" Sango gaped, nearly missing the boomerang that headed towards her. "How in the world do you know that?"

Kagome let another arrow fly, the small object whizzing through the air. "Dog ears."

"DOG EARS?!?!"

"Sssh!" Kagome hushed, glancing around. "I saw them on his head last night."

Sango stared at her for a moment. "Kagome, you were a little sleepy last night . . ."

"I know what I saw!" the young miko insisted. "Besides, remember that demonic aura I sensed from him yesterday?"

"Yeah?"

"I didn't tell him, but it was very similar to that of Inuyasha's."

Sango dropped her weapon, rubbing her temple. "Wait a minute. So you're telling me, that not only is Junichiro a inu-youkai hanyou, but is related to Inuyasha?"

Kagome shrugged. "It's possible."

"But as far as we know, Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru are the only two living inu-youkai left in existence!"

"Well . . ."

"What are you thinking?"

"Sesshoumaru--"

"Whoa!" the demon slayer's jaw dropped. "You're not suggesting that Junichiro might be an offspring of Sesshoumaru!"

"It's just a theory," Kagome mumbled, plopping back on the ground. "Unless Inuyasha's having children behind our back."

"Now that's just insane!"

"So then he _must_ be connected to Sesshoumaru! There's just no other way to explain it-- his demonic aura, his eyes, his uncanny resemblance to Inuyasha-- he even has the same cool, aloof manner as him!"

"You're forgetting the _dog_ _ears_," Sango reminded. "Sesshoumaru despises humans! Why would he mate with one and produce a hanyou when he clearly hates Inuyasha?"

"Then why does he keep Rin around?" Kagome countered. "For all we know, those two might--"

"Kagome, your mind's run away with you," Sango laughed, shaking her head. "Maybe you should bug Inuyasha into letting you go home."

The young miko frowned a moment, before sighing. "Maybe you're right . . ."

_But why else would he look so much like Inuyasha?_

-----------------------------------

"So, Junichiro, who are your parents?"

The young man froze, his hand stopping midair as his hammer paused. "My . . . parents?"

Miroku looked up from the lumber he was holding together. "Yes, your parents."

Inuyasha and Shippou also stopped working, waiting to hear the dark-haired man's answer. The four were doing some volunteer work in the village, helping to rebuild some huts that had been destroyed in the latest demon attack.

Junichiro stared at the ground. "My . . . parents are dead. They died when I was two years old."

The monk, hanyou, and kitsune were taken back by his rather depressing answer. "Oh," Miroku nodded slowly, "I see."

Resuming his pounding on the lumber, Junichiro winced. _What am I suppose to say? 'Well, my father's right over there hammering away with Shippou, and my mother's training with Sango' . . . keh!_

"So who do you live with?" Shippou asked curiously, he himself an orphan.

"My mother's brother and his wife," Junichiro grunted, driving the last nail into the board. "My parents left me with them before they left."

Inuyasha frowned, glancing up at the young man. "So wait, they _knew_ they were going to die?"

"Something like that," Junichiro said quietly, "they were on a . . . a type of mission, and they didn't know if they would return."

"Mission?" Miroku raised an eyebrow, "Were they type of missionaries?"

Junichiro grimaced at the hole he buried himself in. "More like . . . archeologists."

"Ark-ee-all-gists?" The monk tried to pronounce the word. "And that would be?"

The young man mentally slapped himself for telling them a word unknown to the time period he was in. "Um, they search for ancient, lost things."

The three nodded, finally understanding. Exhaling, Junichiro resumed his work. _It's not like I'm lying . . . they **were** searching for the shards . . . which **are** ancient . . . and they **were** lost . . . sort of . . ._

"Tell me, Junichiro," Inuyasha drawled, "Did your parents have any traces of _demon_ in them? Or maybe one of your parents had _miko _abilities?"

Junichiro tensed at the question. Sighing in exhasperation, he stood tall and faced Inuyasha, his height nearly matching the hanyou's.

"If you must know," he growled, "my _mother_ was a miko."

"And your father?" Inuyasha pressed, his eyes gleaming.

"You asshole," the younger hissed, "wher--"

"Junichiro! Inuyasha!"

The two turned around reluctantly as they saw Kagome and Sango walking towards them.

"What do you want, wench?" Inuyasha snarled, glaring at the approaching miko. "We're busy!"

Kagome sent the hanyou a simple glance before muttering, "Osuwari."

Junichiro watched in amusement as his future father ate a faceful of dirt while yelling all the curse words known to man, and then some.

"Anyways," Sango shook her head, "Kaede just told us there's been a shard sighting in a village a couple days' journey from here. Let's go check it out."

Nodding, Miroku and Shippou stood, wiping their brows and stepping over the frozen hanyou. Kagome stepped forward and kneeled by the hanyou.

"When will you learn," she grumbled, dusting off some dirt on his hair.

"Keh, stupid girl," came a muffled reply.

Sighing, she turned to Junichiro. "So . . . do you fight with a sword? A bow and arrow perhaps?"

The young man blinked at her. "Um . . . no?"

"Well, that's alright." Standing, she stretched out her hand. "We'll find something for you to do."

"Nani?"

Kagome gave him a warm smile. "You're coming with us, of course."

"I . . . I am?"

_First I land myself back in time, nearly blow my cover, and **now**__I've joined the hunt for the shards . . ._

_Great . . . just great . . ._

_-----------------------------------_

_AN:_ another chapter . . . I must say, there's a little tension going on between father and son, don't you think? hmmm, well, now that Junichiro's accompanying them to the village, what'll happen next?

thanks for all the reviews . . . you guys are great!A "Beneath the Tangles" update's coming soon . . .

stay tuned!


	9. Visitor

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

------------------------------

Junichiro stared into the darkness of the forest, the cool, night air engulfing him as his ears twitched uncontrollably underneath his midnight black hair.

_We're sleeping . . . in the woods?!_

"Here."

The young man jumped, jerking his head back to see Kagome holding out a bowlful of soup. She blinked, before smiling and sitting down next to him, her hand still offering the food. "You must be hungry," she tried again.

"Arigatou," he mumbled, taking the bowl out of her hands. Taking a deep breath, his spirits were slightly lifted. _Ramen!_

Kagome watched the young man eat slowly, clearly starved from the long trek they had. They had immediately left Kaede's village and headed towards the direction of the supposed shard sighting, not resting until night had fallen. The young miko had glanced back at Junichiro a couple of times, and was surprised to see him keep up with the rest of them, his stride never slowing.

_He might be strong . . . but he's pretty hungry . . ._

"So, Junichiro, Miroku tells me your mother was a miko," Kagome began, trying to make small talk.

The dark-haired man paused from his food to glance up. "Yeah . . . she was," he said softly, staring into the broth.

"I'm so sorry for your loss," the miko said quietly, staring at the ground. "I . . . I lost my father when I was young too. I . . . know what it feels like . . ."

Junichiro set aside his food, crossing his legs as he watched a small squirrel scamper up a tree. _Loss . . . but I have you two **now** . . . _

Kagome yawned and began to stand. "C'mon," she coaxed with a smile, "It's warmer near the fire."

Feeling the need to organize his thoughts, he motioned her to go. "You go on . . . I . . . uh . . . I need to use the bathroom."

Junichiro watched her back as she retreated towards the fire with the others, all laughing and smiling as Miroku told stories. Scrambling to his feet, he silently made his way into the forest.

_What am I doing here? This place . . . this time . . . it's not my place . . ._

He walked until the group's merriment was out of his hearing range. Stepping in between a couple of bushes, he came upon a small stream, its water gleaming in the moonlight. Sighing, Junichiro sat on a nearby rock, throwing pebbles into the clear liquid.

_Does Inuyasha know who I am?_

_Do **I** even know who I am?_

Shaking his head, he stared up at the moon. _Even though I'm here . . . with my parents . . . they're not **my** parents . . . they're just Inuyasha and Kagome . . . they won't have the answers I'm looking for . . . _

_Mother . . . Father . . . what happened to you? Did you really die at the hands of that demon?_

Suddenly feeling a strange aura, he turned, nearly falling into the stream. _Someone's coming . . ._

His ears twitched as he listened for any type of sound, but heard nothing. "Must be a raccoon," he mumbled, turning his gaze back to the water, only to find a disturbing reflection.

He wasn't alone.

Turning slowly, he came face to face with a golden-eyed intruder, the wind kissing his long white hair. He was of immeasurable stature, and his ancient robes depicted that of nobility.

Junichiro felt his head spin as flashbacks of his childhood came flooding back to him. Of a tall, white-haired man visiting the shrine, his piercing gold eyes staring at him with such intensity that he thought he would explode. His usually bright and cheerful Uncle tower in fear of the annual visitor as he pushed his nephew in front of the stranger, the young boy's knees wobbling as the white-haired man asked him a few questions . . . if he was happy . . . if anyone was picking on him . . . if anything strange was happening to him . . .

The young man then remembered the strange markings he saw on the man . . . a crescent moon on his forehead and two stripes on his cheeks . . .

They were the same markings as the man in front of him had.

"You . . ." Junichiro breathed, his eyes widening.

The white-haired man stared hard at him, his face remaining a mask. "I?"

"I've seen you before . . . at my Uncle's shrine . . ."

The older man's face hardened, his eyes growing colder. "This Sesshoumaru does _not_ visit shrines, especially with humans."

Junichiro opened and closed his mouth a few times before reality hit him. _This is the past . . . he wouldn't know about the Shrine or myself . . ._

"You, child," Sesshoumaru monotoned, "Who are you?"

"Uh . . ."

"Junichiro!"

The two turned to see Inuyasha and his companions running through the forest, each armed with their weapons. The hanyou and monk chopped the shrubbery that blocked their path to the young man, as the miko, demon slayer, and kitsune ran behind.

"Junichiro! Are you alright?" Kagome shouted, Inuyasha eliminating the last bush with his Kaze No Kizu.

"Ye-yeah," the dark-haired man answered back, his voice shaking.

"Damnit runt, don't run off lik--" Inuyasha stopped, his eyes narrowing as he glared at Junichiro's companion.

"Well look who it is. Hey bastard, what are you doing here?"

Junichiro's eyes widened as he saw the two white haired men stare each other down. _They . . . they know each other?!_

"I, Inuyasha, am not the bastard here," Sesshoumaru returned, his voice dripping with malice.

"Oh, real original baka," the hanyou spat, pointing the edge of the sword at him.

Sesshoumaru gave a little exhasperated noise as he made to leave. "I am in no mood to play with you today, little brother. I merely wished to know who was giving off the rather, unusual demonic aura in this area."

_Little . . . brother?!_ Junichiro gaped at the Lord of the Western Lands. _Then . . . that man that visits the shrine every year . . . he's my **uncle**?!_

"You . . . you two are siblings?" he asked weakly, feeling all the blood drain from his face.

The two inu-youkai brothers turned to stare at Junichiro. "_Half-_brother," Sesshoumaru corrected cooly, frowning at the young man.

"Don't be fooled, kid," Inuyasha snarled, "This baka is no brother of mine, as far as I'm concerned."

Sesshoumaru studied Junichiro for a moment, then took a step forward. "You there . . . your parents . . ."

"Are dead," he quickly answered.

The youkai blinked, before nodding. "Right . . ." He turned, and without a word to the rest of the group, sauntered back into the forest.

Junichiro felt his heart resume its normal pace as he watched the youkai lord disappear into the forest. He was about to return to the group when he heard a familar, cold, voice in his head.

_Your parents may be a secret to them, but they are no secret to me . . . I can sense who they are . . . to think, my bastard of a brother would produce a child such as you . . . _

The young man closed his eyes, the telepathy between him and his uncle clear. _So, why didn't you tell them?_

_This Sesshoumaru knows when not to interfere . . . _

---------------------------------------

"WHAT?!?!?"

Kagome waved her hands in front of the hanyou's face, trying to hush him. "Be quiet! You might wake him up!!"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "You've got to be joking me, Kagome. _Sesshoumaru _having a hanyou child is just plain crazy!!"

The young miko scratched her head, glancing at the sleeping Junichiro across the fire. "But you saw the dog ears too! I know you did!"

"I know . . ."

"He has to be Sesshoumaru's kid!"

"Like I said, wench," he growled, "that's crazy."

"Then who do _you_ think are his parents?!"

Inuyasha stared at her a moment before replying a gruff, "Beats me."

"I know where you're trying to go with this, Kagome-sama," Miroku jumped in, "But be reasonable. Sesshoumaru would never mate with a human."

Kagome groaned in frustration. "But he has _dog ears_, Miroku! The only living inu-youkai left are Inuyasha and Sesshoumaru, and--"

"That's not true."

Miroku poked the fire as he spoke. "There was a pack of dog demons in the north who only died out recently because they insisted on mating with humans. He might be a hanyou child of them."

"That kid isn't hanyou."

The group turned to look at Inuyasha, his face etched in a frown. "His demonic aura isn't strong enough to be half . . . he should only be a third or so."

"And besides, the northern pack Miroku's talking about had a reputation for _kidnapping_ human women and taking them for mates; I doubt they would kidnap any miko."

Kagome sighed, rubbing her temple. "Well, we're not any closer to finding out who he really is . . ."

"Why is it so important anyway, Kagome?"

The young miko looked down at the kitsune in her lap. "We just want to know who he is, Shippou," she said gently. "He has distinct inu-youkai qualities that are rare, especially since there are hardly any youkai in my time."

"The question is," Inuyasha muttered, "Is he friend or foe?"

---------------------------------------

Junichiro stirred awake, listening to the group's conversation across the fire.

_They're talking about me . . ._

" . . . friend or foe?"

The young man felt his heart skip a beat, as he slowly sank further into the sleeping bag. _Friend or foe?_

_Neither . . . I'm your son._

_-----------------------------------------------_

_AN:_ and yet . . . another chapter . . .

did you all get that little paragraph up there? when Junichiro first saw Sesshoumaru? I know it might be a little vague, but let me explain the flashbacks he was having . . .

Once a year a man would visit the shrine, a tall, white-haired man with golden eyes, and he would ask Souta to see Junichiro. That man turned out to be Sesshoumaru in the future, and their chance meeting in the Sengoku Jidai struck a memory in Junichiro's head.

And no, Inuyasha doesn't know that Junichiro is his kid. He's just confused as everyone else is . . .

Kagome's silly, ain't she? Still going on about her theory that Sesshoumaru is the father . . . heeheheheheh . . .

to answer your question, Yusuke Brat, when Kagome goes through the well, she goes back to _her_ time, not to Junichiro's time.

thanks for the reviews! you guys are awesome!

stay tuned!


	10. Daggers

_Disclaimer: I don't own Inuyasha . . ._

ROCK ON!!

_-----------------------------------------_

_"Bokutachi wa shiawase ni naru tame kono tabiji wo yukun da  
Hora egao ga totemo niau . . ."_

Listening to Kagome sing a song, Junichiro smiled, his heart lifting as he walked with the others towards the village. The sun hadn't risen when they left their campsite, and now it was shining bright directly over their heads as they walked non-stop.

_"Iro aseru koto naku yomigaeru hakanaku utsukushiki hibi yo  
Mabushii umi kogareta kisetsu mo  
Yuki no maiorita kisetsu mo  
Itsu datte furimukeba anata ga ita . . ."_

_She really does have a beautiful voice . . ._

_"Bokutachi wa shiawase ni naru tame kono tabiji wo yuku  
Daremo mina ienu kizu wo tsureta tabibito nan darou  
Hora egao ga totemo niau . . ."  
_  
Sneeking a glance at the hanyou walking beside him, he was surprised to find a rather serene look on his face. It was a face of peace, one that Junichiro had never seen before.

_Must be Kagome's voice . . ._

Junichiro had to admit, he had never heard a voice like the one Kagome had. His uncle had told him stories of his sister's beautiful singing abilities, but he didn't realize it was like . . . _this_. Her voice was so pure, so free, so emotional, he couldn't help but fall deeper into her melodious spell.

_"Nando michi ni mayotta no darou  
Sono tabi ni atatakai te wo . . . _

Sashinobete kureta no mo anata deshita . . ."

There were a few moments of silence after Kagome faded off, before she spoke softly,

"Inuyasha?"

The hanyou didn't respond, a far-away look on his face as he kept his eyes on the path in front of him.

"Inuyasha?"

"Hmm . . . uh . . . what?!" He sputtered, stopping to send the miko a half-hearted scowl.

"Can we stop for awhile? I'm kind of tired . . ."

"Feh, that's what you get for singing most of the damn way," he snapped, resuming his pace. Junichiro watched as Kagome sighed, but the look of hope didn't disappear from her face. Noticing that he was looking at her, the young girl winked at him. "He'll stop," she mouthed.

Sure enough, Inuyasha led them off the main road and onto a smaller path, which Junichiro, with his keen sense of smell, realized the he was leading them towards a small lake.

"We'll stop here for a bit," the hanyou gruffed, plopping down under a tree. Giving everyone the evil eye, he leaned back and blended in with the shadows.

Sango and Miroku offered to refill the water containers while Shippou wandered off to play in the cool, refreshing water. Glancing around, Junichiro noticed that Kagome had taken a seat under a tree nearby to the one Inuyasha sat in. Finding nothing else to do, he slowly ambled towards her.

"Hey."

"Hello," Kagome smiled, patting the dirt next to her. "Take a seat."

The two sat in silence for awhile, each admiring the scenery. Junichiro immediately felt at ease, his mother's presence calming him.

_I wonder . . ._

"Hey . . . um, Kagome?" he started, his mother's name foreign to his tongue.

"Hmm?"

"You and Inuyasha . . . are you two a couple?"

Kagome stared at him for a moment before turning a distinct shade of red and averting her eyes to the ground. "Iie . . . we're not together."

"But why not? You two clearly have feelings for each other," Junichiro said softly. _This is strange . . . getting my parents together . . ._

The young miko remained silent for a moment, before replying quietly, "There . . . there are things that get in the way . . . Inuyasha has sworn his heart to another . . . not me."

Junichiro felt a mixture of emotions surface inside him. Sadness . . . his parents had problems . . . curiousity . . . who was this 'other' . . . and anger . . . why was Inuyasha such an idiot?

He thought a moment, a vague memory of his uncle telling him of a story . . . a story of how his father fell in love with another miko, before his mother . . . and how they were set to betray each other . . .

_Her name . . . what was her name?!_

Fingering a pebble nearby, he quietly asked, "You love him though, don't you?"

He felt the young woman at his side tense before releasing a soft sigh. "With all my heart," she whispered.

Junichiro felt his blood boil as he saw the pain this was causing her. "Inuyasha's a jerk for not se--"

"No."

Kagome looked up, her eyes shining with tears as she gazed at the young man next to her. "No. He's not a jerk. He's the most honest and faithful person I know."

She paused a moment to catch her voice before resuming. "He . . . he is fulfilling a promise he made over fifty years ago. To uphold a promise for that long is . . . amazing."

"Even though he runs to meet her . . . even though he leaves me to go to her . . . even though it hurts me, I can never hate him," she whispered, her voice soft and shaking. "I could never . . ."

Junichiro felt his heart go out to Kagome. Even through all the pain she went through, her courage was extraordinary, her will to go on remarkable.

Glancing a few yards away, he noticed Inuyasha was staring at them, his golden eyes gleaming under the shade of the tree.

_He should've heard every word she said . . . with his hearing . . ._

His attention was drawn away when the young kitsune came stumbling towards them, his eyes half-open.

"K'gome," he murmured, "I'm tireeeeeed."

Junichiro watched as Kagome previously depressed attitude immediately changed to a loving, caring one. "I wouldn't be surprised," she sighed, "Inuyasha didn't let us rest before this."

Yawning, Shippou collasped in her lap, curling his tail around his body. "Stupid Inuyasha . . ."

"Take a nap, Shippou; I'll wake you before we leave."

"Kay." Closing his eyes, he muttered, "Kagome?"

"Yeah?"

"Can you finish that song you were singing? It was pretty . . ."

The young miko smiled, stroking the young demon's hair. Junichiro sat back against the tree, dozing off as he listened to Kagome voice sing once more.

_"Bokutachi wa kono nagai tabiji no hate ni nani wo omou  
Daremo mina ai motome samayou tabibito nan darou  
Tomo ni ikou akiru hodo ni . . ."_

---------------------------------------------

"Here."

Junichiro stared as Kagome thrust twin daggers in his hand, each with strange engravings. "Wha-what are these?"

The young miko smiled at him, cocking her head to the side. "You don't think we would lead you into danger without any means of protecting yourself, do you?"

"Da-danger?" the dark-haired man gulp. _Are they going to make me fight?!_

The monk at his side chuckled. "When you're with us, Junichiro, you're always in danger. Best be prepared if the worst comes."

Staring at the weapons in his hands, he noticed that one of the handles were blue, while the other was a fiery red. "They're different colors . . ."

Sango nodded, stepping forward from the bushes in her black uniform. "Blue is for spiritual powers, while red represents demonic. We thought it was fit considering you hold both in you."

Junichiro felt his heart stop at the demon slayer's words. "You . . . you know?"

Shippou jumped out of Kagome's hair, startling the dark-haired man. "Kagome sensed them in you the first time we met," he piped up, bounding over to the young man.

"That's right," the miko confirmed, giving him another genuine smile. "So there's no use hiding who you really are."

The young man felt the eyes of the group on him, knowing what they expected him to do. Lifting a shaking hand, he released his ears from his hair, the feeling foreign to him.

He heard everyone gasp as they stared at the apendages on his head. "So it's true . . ." Sango murmured, "You _do_ have dog ears . . ."

Junichiro slightly bowed his head. _If they know I have spiritual powers as well as demonic, do they know who my parents are?_

"Don't be ashamed, kid," Inuyasha spoke up, his golden eyes staring into his brown ones. "Being a dog demon ain't a bad thing. Your parents would've wanted you to be proud of who you are, whoever they might be," he muttered the last part to himself, but Junichiro heard it.

_So . . . they **don't** know who my parents are . . . whew . . ._

"Let's get a move on," the hanyou gruffly announced, heading down the path. "We got a lon--"

Inuyasha stopped, his eyes narrowing as he sniffed the air. "Damnit," he hissed.

"What is it?" Kagome asked, Shippou on her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

"Naraku," he muttered, unsheathing his sword. "Be on your guard."

Junichiro watched as the Tessaiga transformed into a large fang, gleaming in the sunlight. Glancing around, he noticed that Sango had her Hiraikotsu ready, and next to her Kagome had notched an arrow. Miroku too was ready for battle; he was holding the wrap around his right hand, prepared to suck anything and everything into the void.

Taking a deep breath, he slowly unsheathed the two daggers, watching in amazement as they began to glow their respective colors. "What the . . ."

"Miroku put some incantations on it," Shippou answered, hopping onto his shoulder. "So that they would respond to your powers."

"Oh . . . I see." Hearing Inuyasha growl, he faced the front as a breeze blew past them, containing the stench of something awful and disgusting.

"He's here," the hanyou ground out.

As soon as he had spoken, a large swarm bees headed their way, their buzzing deafening. Sango launched her weapon, taking more than half of them out.

"His front guard!" she yelled, catching the Hiraikotsu. "He's not far!"

Inuyasha began taking the poison insects on with his Kaze No Kizu, but as soon as he killed them, more came. "This is useless!" he yelled, blasting a few hundred more. "Naraku, you coward! Show yourself!"

Junichiro felt a strange type of energy flow through his veins as he watched Inuyasha fight. Hearing the buzzing noise near him, he turned and took out a few dozen angry bees with a single swipe, the disected insects falling to the ground.

"Hey, you're a natural!" Shippou admired, still on his shoulder.

The young man didn't answer, but took out a dozen more with dagger. _Damn . . . they just keep on coming!_

He dodged a bee who attempted to sting him, tripping over a rock and fell down near Kagome. "Damnit!"

"Are you alright?" Kagome shouted, shooting another sacred arrow at the bees. "Don't stay on the ground!"

Junichiro jumped up, and with renewed anger, lacerated nearly a hundred insects with a few blows. "Stay away from me!" he yelled, his daggers glowing in response to his anger.

Inuyasha killed off another few hundred as he glanced at fighting young man a few yards away. _His fighting techniques . . . they're respondant to his emotions . . . who the hell is this kid!??!_

A maniacle laugh was then heard, ringing throughout the forest. Junichiro glanced up to see a large baboon pelt-covered figure glide towards the ground, his face masked.

"Inuyasha, how glad of you to come," he cackled, sending more bees with a single motion of his hand. "To think, you all came running at the rumor of a shard."

"What?!" the hanyou growled, sending his backlash wave at the insects. "You mean this was a set up?!"

"Why of course," Naraku hissed, sliding out of the way of Sango's Hiraikotsu. "I want those jewel shards that wench protects!"

With a flap of his pelt, a slimy apendage wiggled its way out and slithered towards the unsuspecting miko.

"Kagome! Watch out!" Inuyasha shouted, unable to reach her through the swarms of bees. "Kagome!!"

Seeing his young mother helpless, Junichiro jumped in front of the woman, cutting off the apendage that threatened her life. "Stay away from her!" he growled, his daggers gleaming in the sun.

Naraku seemed to stare for a moment, his voice becoming low and dangerous. "Ah, a newcomer. Well, while I'm at it, I might as well possess the shard you hold as well, kid."

The group seemed to freeze at the demon's words. Kagome gasped, staring up at the young man at her side. "You . . . you have a jewel shard?!"

She watched as he slowly nodded his head, his face pale and eyes narrowed with anger. She felt her heart skip a beat, her mind racing.

_Why didn't I sense it?!_

_--------------------------------------_

_AN:_ this chapter was slightly longer than the previous ones . . . hehehe, couldn't stop writing.

The song used in this chapter is called "Voyage" by Ayumi Hamasaki, the same singer who sang Dearest and the theme song for the first Inuyasha movie. I thought the lyrics went well with the main Inuyasha story. Here's the English translation for those who are curious:

In the first part of the chapter, it's translated into . . .

_"We're on this journey in order to become happy  
Look, a smile really suits you _

Oh those fleeting, beautiful days, brought back unfading  
The season when we longed for the bright ocean  
And the season when the snow fell

Whenever I turned around, you were always there

We're on this journey in order to become happy  
I wonder if we are all travellers with wounds that can't be healed  
Look, a smile really suits you

How many times did I loose my way?  
Whenever I did, there was a warm hand

And you were the one who held it out to me"

And the last part of the chapter, when Shippou asks her to sing again, it translates into:

_"What will we think at the end of this long journey?  
I wonder if we are all travellers searching for love  
Let's go together, until we've had enough"_

Nice, eh? I really liked it . . .

anyway, I recieved a few questions from the last chapter, so let me answer them for you.

Sesshoumaru realized that Kagome and Inuyasha were his parents because unlike Inuyasha, he is full youkai, therefore his senses are more keen and sensitive.

The reason Inuyasha can't smell his blood in Junichiro, or Kagome's for that matter, is because Junichiro has developed a scent of his own, _and_ like in the first explanation, his senses aren't strong enough to recognize the boy's actual parents, even though he was able to sniff out the demonic and miko powers inside.

Just like Kagome, Junichiro would go home to _his_ time, not Kagome's, when he goes through the well.

Hope that cleared up some stuff for you! Thanks for the reviews, you guys are great!

Stay tuned!


	11. Bond

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

--------------------------

Junichiro glared at the floating baboon pelt-covered figure in front of him, his teeth seething as he gripped his daggers.

_Naraku . . . so this is the bastard that killed my parents . . ._

The demon stared at the new addition to the Inu-tachi. _This kid . . . he possesses much power . . . too much power . . . _

_Well then, I just have to test it now, don't I?_

"Give me the jewel shard, kid," Naraku called out, "And I _may_ spare your life."

The dark-haired man felt the familiar energy that helped him fight earlier flow through his veins once more, causing the daggers in his hands to pulsate.

"Over my dead body," he hissed, standing his ground.

"That can be arranged," Naraku chuckled, jumping to the branches of a nearby tree. "Prepare to die, impudent idiot!"

The flaps of his pelt flew open, and hundreds of demons sprang forth, hissing and screaming at the group. Junichiro stared in horror at the formidable army he and others had to face.

_Kami . . . what have I done?_

He glanced at the others, expecting angry yells and screams for being idiotic, but they were too occupied drawing their weapons again.

"Don't just stand there!" Inuyasha hollered, "Fight!" He lifted his sword, and with a single swing, destroyed a hundred demons.

Kagome began shooting off sacred arrows as Sango fired off her Hiraikotsu, their attacks making considerable dents in the army. When Miroku prepared to use his Kazanaa, however, the swarms of bees that had disappeared momentarily returned, merging with the angry demons.

"Damnit!" he yelled, pulling his hand back. "I can't suck them in!"

"Then we'll just keep on fighting," Kagome returned, narrowing her eyes as she shot off another arrow. _Junichiro's shard . . . why couldn't I sense it?_

Junichiro cut through the demons, his anger growing by the second. "Get, away, from, ME!" he growled, leaping into the air and disecting more of the creatures.

Shippou, who had departed from their new dark-haired friend as soon as he sensed the intense energy inside him, quickly jumped onto Kagome, and hid behind her hair.

"Kagome . . . look at Junichiro . . ."

The young miko looked up, her eyes widening as she watched him fight. He jumped and dodged through the air as easily as Inuyasha, his fighting techniques very similar to the hanyou's.

_Kami . . . he's . . . he's just like Inuyasha!_

Junichiro swung through the air, gutting a hog demon right in the stomach. "I've just had enough of this," he muttered, feeling a strange energy replace the one he used to fight with. Crossing the two daggers together, the blue and red auras merged, and a great purple light burst forth, destroying more than half of the remaining demons.

Inuyasha, who had just barely escaped the black-haired man's attack, gaped at the immense power that came from him. _This . . . this kid is full of surprises . . ._

Naraku, who had been watching from atop a tree, watched as his demonic army disappeared, finished off by Inuyasha's Kaze no Kizu. Narrowing his eyes, he made a quiet exit, sinking into the darkness of the forest.

_So . . . that kid **does** have some power in him . . . I'll get him soon enough . . ._

-----------------------------------------

Junichiro sank to the ground, completely exhausted. The daggers in his hand slowly dropped to the floor as he fell on his back, breathing hard as the sunlight shone brightly on his face.

Inuyasha, sensing that Naraku had left, sheathed his sword and glanced at the younger man. Passing by the other three, he made his way over to Junichiro, towering over him.

"Hey, kid."

The dark-haired man cracked his eyes open, finding the intense gold eyes of his father staring down at him. "Yeah?"

"Hand over the jewel shard."

Junichiro's eyes snapped open, his hand protectively covering his shirt pocket where the shard lay as he sat up.

"Why should I?"

Sango, Kagome, Shippou, and Miroku slowly walked closer to the two, half curious and half anxious about the hanyou's reaction towards Junichiro's stubbornness.

"You used that shard to get to this time, didn't you?" the hanyou asked in a low voice. "Who gave it to you?"

Junichiro remained silent, his glare never leaving his face.

Sighing in annoyance, Inuyasha stooped down, his eyes becoming level with the dark-haired man's. "Look kid," he growled, "I don't have time for games. Either hand me the jewel shard, or have your guts pulled out of your throat."

"Inuyasha!" Kagome gasped, stepping forward.

The hanyou ignored the miko's protest, his eyes never leaving Junichiro's. "Well?"

"Maybe we should let him explain first, Inuyasha," Miroku tried, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Yeah," Sango agreed, helping the young man to his feet. "Don't let him intimidate you," she whispered in his ears, patting him on the back.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, his tone of voice irritated. "Well, hurry up kid," he grumbled, standing up straight.

Junichiro took a deep breath, making eye contact with the whole Inu-tachi. "A few nights ago, I recieved a small package in the mail. When I opened it, the shard fell out, along with a note that said, _"Use it with care."_ Who sent it, I don't know."

_I'm not about to tell them about that weird experience . . . that'll give everything away . . ._

"How'd you know to use it to get through the well?" Kagome asked softly.

"I didn't." Junichiro paused for a moment, making sure what he was going to say didn't reveal who his true parents were. "The next day was my birthday, and it was a routine of mine to visit the well every year on that day. It just so happened that the shard was in my pocket when I slipped and fell into the well."

Inuyasha cocked an eyebrow. "You . . . slipped?"

Junichiro sent him a look. "Yeah, what of it?"

Kagome thought a moment, before asking quietly, "Junichiro, who takes care of the well in your time?"

"My uncle."

The miko frowned, taking a seat on a nearby rock. "And, when you left your time, what year was it?"

Junichiro shifted uncomfortably. "Um, 2018."

Kagome's eyes widened. "2018?"

"Yes . . ."

The dark-haired man felt his heart stop, realizing that the year he came from was further in time than his young mother's.

"Something wrong, Kagome?" Sango asked, puzzled.

"Just a little," she murmured, calculating the years mentally. "I live in the year 1998, and Junichiro's from 2018 . . . that's a twenty year difference . . ."

"So you're from the _future_ future?" Shippou asked, his mouth open.

"I guess . . ." Junichiro mumbled.

"I don't get it . . ." Kagome mused, scratching her head. "The Shrine should still be with my family in twenty years . . ."

The group was too busy trying to soak in the information that Junichiro came from a time further than Kagome's, that they didn't see the young man visibly pale.

"Big deal," Inuyasha grumbled, frowning. "Kagome, why didn't you sense it on him earlier?"

"I . . . uh . . . I don't know," the young woman uttered, staring at the hanyou in confusion. Turning to the young man, she asked, "Junichiro, can I see your jewel shard?"

Giving Inuyasha a warning glare, he carefully dug into his shirt pocket and extracted the jewel shard, its purple color gleaming in the sunlight.

Junichiro's head snapped up as he heard everyone gasp, their eyes widening as they stared at the fragment in his hand.

"The shard," Sango whispered, "It's purified . . . but . . . how?" she looked up, gazing at the dark-haired man with disbelief.

Kagome took a step forward, her own eyes wide with amazement. "Junichiro . . . how did you purify it?"

The young man stared a moment, before stammering, "I . . . uh, I don't know . . . it was all dull and old when I looked at it, but when I picked it up, it turned all bright and stuff . . ."

"Holy crap, kid," Inuyasha breathed, staring at his hand.

"But . . . how can that be possible?" Miroku mused, shaking his head. "The only two who are able to purify the shards are Kikyou and Kagome-sama . . . but they essentially share the same powers . . . how could you be able to . . ."

"You said your mother was a miko, kid?" Inuyasha prodded, crossing his arms. "Well, out with it, what's her name?"

_Name . . . name . . . crap!! I can't tell . . ._

"I . . . uh . . ."

It was then that Shippou tried to touch the shard in his palm, only to have a barrier surround it and deflect the kitsune's hand. "Hey!!"

The Inu-tachi focused their attention on the shard. Sango, curious at what just happened, attempted to pick up the shard, only to have her hand pushed back by an invisible barrier as well.

"What the hell did you do to it, kid?!" Inuyasha growled, clutching the handle of his sword. "What business do you have putting a barrier around it?!"

"Hold on a second, Inuyasha," Miroku held out his hand. "Kagome-sama, you try and touch the shard."

Kagome hesitated, before moving her hand towards the fragment. When she reached the barrier, it began to crackle a strange blue energy, before allowing the miko to touch it.

"She's immune to the barrier!" Shippou exclaimed, hopping onto Kagome's shoulder.

"Hm . . ." Miroku studied the shard for a moment. "Inuyasha, you next."

The hanyou gave the monk an angry look before reaching out for the jewel. "I don't know where you're getting at, monk, but if it deflected Shippou, it'll deflect--"

He stopped as the barrier around the shard began to spark a red aura before allowing him to touch it. "Wha-at?"

"It's just as I suspected," Miroku nodded, staring at Junichiro.

The young man felt his heart race, his eyes widening. _Kami . . . don't let him guess the truth . . ._

"Junichiro didn't put up the barrier; the shard did."

He felt his muscles relax considerably as he listened to the monk's strange theory.

"The shard, after becoming purified by Junichiro, has bonded with him. It responds to his demonic _and_ miko powers within, only allowing those with powers similiar to his to handle it."

"I get it," Sango nodded, "It allowed Kagome through the barrier because she has miko powers as well."

"What about Inuyasha?" Shippou piped up, "I'm a demon too, but it didn't let me."

"Junichiro's a dog demon," Miroku explained, "He exudes the same kind of power that Inuyasha has."

"Oh."

Shrugging, the monk glanced at Inuyasha. "The shard's bonded with him; taking it away from him will be useless."

Inuyasha appeared to think for a moment before growling in impatience. "Fine, I'll let him keep it, _for now,_" he grumbled, turning around. "If that's it, let's go back to Kaede's. This whole shard sighting crap was a set up."

The group gathered their things and followed Inuyasha, Junichiro trailing behind. He felt as though he almost had a heart attack, his cover almost blown.

Glancing at the fragment in his palm, he grumbled, "Thanks for saving my ass," as he trotted to catch up with the others.

The shard gleamed in response.

--------------------------------

_AN:_ calculating those years reminded how much I dislike math . . . ugh . . . the things I do for my readers! :-P

anyways, this story takes place in 1998 . . . when _Kagome_ is 16. Technically, when the series started (if i'm not mistaken . . . if I am, please correct me!) it was 1997, and Kagome was only 15. And since Kagome has Junichiro when she's 20, that means Junichiro is born in 2002. Add two years to that, 2004, and that's around the time that Inuyasha andKagome sent him to live with Souta. Add 14 years, 2018, and you have the year Junichiro is actually from :-)

that whole bond thing . . . if you didn't quite catch it, was that the shard bonded because he purified it. Miroku's theory was sort of correct, but he didn't quite finish it. Not only does Inuyasha and Kagome possess the same powers as Junichiro, but well, you know . . . they're his parents! ::sigh::, I wonder when the Inu-tachi will get a clue . . . :-P

thanks for the reviews!

stay tuned!


	12. Guilt

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

------------------------------

_45 bottles of beer on the wall . . . 45 bottles of beer . . ._

Junichiro rolled his eyes, staring at the ceiling of the room.

_Take one down, pass it around . . . 44 bottles of . . . aw shit, this isn't getting me anywhere!_

He rolled onto his stomach, staring into the small fire pit at the edge of the room. During their return back to Kaede's village, it began to rain, causing the Inu-tachi to find shelter. Junichiro watched in amazement and amusement as Miroku strode up to a rather wealthy-looking house, asked to speak to the head of the household, and promptly told him that there was a demon residing in the residence. The nobleman, seeing that he was a monk, completely believed Miroku. With the payment for the exorcism, the wealthy man offered to let them stay the night.

Junichiro gawked in wonder, but the others merely shrugged it off. Apparently tricking noblemen to stay in their houses was a typical thing for Miroku.

So now he was in a large, comfortable room, full from a large dinner, and warm from the fireplace. It wasn't that he wasn't complaining . . .

_But I can never get any sleep!!_

It was true; almost every night he spent in Sengoku Jidai he had the hardest time trying to fall asleep. Whether it was the eerie calmness of the forest, the smell of fresh earth, or Shippou's snoring, he didn't know.

Glancing around, he noticed everyone sleeping peacefully. He let out a low growl, envious and annoyed that no one else seemed to have trouble falling asleep.

The only person missing was Inuyasha; he was asleep in a tree outside, near the window. Junichiro shook his head, confused by the hanyou's strange ways of living.

He stretched out his legs, suddenly smelling incense. Looking around, he realized that no one in the room was awake to light a stick of incense.

_What the . . . oh, yeah . . ._

Ever since he arrived in this era, his senses became sharper and more useful. He could now smell things a mile away, hear things that are hardly audible, and see things in darkness as well as he saw when there was light.

He had thought about what may have caused these new changes in his body, and he could only conclude one thing: the modern day noise and smells had caused him to shut down his senses nearly 100. By staying his past, his senses no longer had the threat of pollution or car screeches.

_Speaking of senses . . ._

Junichiro's ears twitched as he heard the rustle of leaves outside. Gazing at the window, he watched Inuyasha stir awake, sniff the air, and leap off the tree. Curious on where he was going, he made his way to the window and jumped into the previously occupied tree.

Looking around, he noticed a strange light in the sky, nearly a mile from where the nobleman's house was. Squinting, he could make out the snake-like demons that slithered throughout the air, surrounded by eerie white lights.

_Is that where he's going?_

Dropping to the ground, he quietly ran through the forest, his speed and stamnia still surprising him. _I could get use to this . . ._

He sniffed the air several times, making sure that this was the direction his future father was going. Sure enough, it was in the same direction as the strange lights he had seen in the sky.

Remembering something Shippou said about approaching undetected, he crept towards a small clearing from downwind, hearing the familiar voice of Inuyasha and the montone voice of a woman.

_A woman?_

Peering through the bushes, he watched as Inuyasha walked towards a woman dressed in the tradtional miko garb, her hair pulled back in a low pony tail. Junichiro nearly gasped as he gazed at the woman's face.

_She . . . she looks like mother!_

Curiousity getting the better of him, Junichiro gave into his temptations and crept closer until he was only about a hundred yards away, making sure he stayed downwind. Studying the woman, he saw differences between his mother and this supposed look-alike: Where Kagome's face was soft, her's were sharp . . . where his mother's eyes were warm and inviting, this woman held nothing but sorrow and grief . . .

_Who is this woman?_

"Inuyasha," the miko murmured, staring at him with blank eyes.

"Hello, Kikyou," Inuyasha returned, taking a step closer.

_Kikyou?! That name . . . **she's** the other woman?!_

"I see you came," the woman remarked, her face twisting into a smile.

"Why wouldn't I?" Inuyasha asked quietly, his body still.

_Inuyasha . . . you baka! You're suppose to be with Mother, not this . . ._ Sniffing the air gingerly, he noticed the woman's strange scent. _She's . . . she's not alive!_

Kikyou stared at him for a moment, before turning away and facing the tree behind her. "I see you've left my reincarnation alone."

"Kagome's safe with the others," Inuyasha mumbled, a twinge of guilt pricking his heart as the young miko's name was mentioned."

_Reincarnation!? What the hell is going on?!?_

"Why're you here, Kikyou?"

The miko turned and faced him, her eyes flashing from grief to slight irritation. "I came to check on you," she monotoned, "Is that so wrong?"

"Check on me?" Inuyasha frowned, "What do you mean?"

Kikyou's lips turned upward, a strange smile creeping on her face. "It's only a matter of time, Inuyasha, before you will join me."

Inuyasha took a step back. "Kikyou . . ."

"I will take my leave," the miko announced, her Shikigami flying to wrap around her. "I see that our meeting has not gone undetected."

Junichiro felt his heart in his throat as Kikyou stared straight at him, taking Inuyasha's gaze with her. The two stared at the young man in the bushes, before the miko began to ascend to the sky.

"We will meet again, Inuyasha," she declared, her demons taking her farther and farther away until she disappeared completely.

The dark-haired man stared in wonder as she disappeared, his attention diverted by a certain hanyou who stared at him with a questionable look.

"Junichiro? What are you doing here kid?"

_Great . . ._

He reluctantly stood from his position in the bushes, facing Inuyasha. "I could ask you the same question," he glared, crossing his arms over his chest.

Inuyasha opened his mouth for a moment, before closing it. Shaking his head, he turned his back on the younger man, muttering, "Follow me."

Junichiro watched the hanyou's retreating back, his eyes narrowing in suspicion as he slowly trailed behind. The two walked for a little, before Inuyasha stopped and sat down on a deserted log.

"You're probably wondering," the hanyou began.

"Damn right," Junichiro snapped. "Aren't you suppose to be with _Kagome_?"

Inuyasha glared at his companion. "Shut up kid, and let me explain."

Sighing, the hanyou rubbed his temple, supporting his elbows with his knees. "The others probably told you about me and Kagome . . ."

"Not really," Junichiro snorted. "I figured it out myself; it doesn't take a rocket scientist to know that you two belong together."

The hanyou blinked for a moment, before muttering a few words to himself. "Anyways . . . that woman you just saw, Kikyou . . . we were . . . she was . . . we were involved."

"Fifty-one years ago, she was the keeper of the Shikon No Tama. I, being half-demon, wanted the jewel to become a full-fledged demon. And well, one thing led to another . . . and before long, we were making plans to be together."

"Something went wrong, and we betrayed each other . . . at the hands of Naraku. She pinned me to a tree before dying from a wound that demon inflicted on her, taking with her the Shikon No Tama to the afterlife."

Junichiro cocked an eyebrow. "You say she died . . . but she looked pretty alive to me."

Inuyasha crossed his arms over his chest, staring at the young man beside him. "She was brought back to life by a demoness; the woman you saw earlier is composed of her old bones and earth from her gravesite."

The dark-haired man sat a moment, trying to let the information sink in. _Inuyasha loved another before Kagome . . . _

"You're probably wondering what the connection is between Kagome and Kikyou."

"I heard something about a reincarnation?"

The hanyou nodded, closing his eyes. "Kagome is Kikyou's reincarnation. Fifty years after Kikyou sealed me upon the tree, Kagome fell down the well from her era, the Shikon No Tama embedded in her body. She released me from my sleeping spell and ironically, I thought she was Kikyou."

Inuyasha grimaced, remembering the harshness he had inflicted on the young girl. "We fought for it, and in the end, the jewel was shattered; it was then our job to find all the shards and make the jewel whole once again."

"One day, a demoness took the bones and earth from Kikyou's grave and made herself a life-like image of Kikyou. When she called the back her soul, however, she realized that it had already been reincarnated into Kagome's."

"She kidnapped Kagome and bathed her in some sort of potion, calling forth the soul. She planned to take it and give it back to Kikyou, but her plan backfired. Kagome called back most of her soul, only leaving Kikyou a small portion."

"The Kikyou that was resurrected was a mere shadow of her formal self; the woman that walks on this earth is bitter, seeking revenge on Naraku and myself because of her early death."

Junichro frowned. "But doesn't she know that it was _Naraku_ who decieved her, and not you?"

Inuyasha paused before answering. "I tried telling her, but she doesn't seem to listen. She's blinded by her desire for revenge."

There was silence between the two for several moments, the night's calmness deafening to their ears.

"Did you love her?" Junichiro asked quietly.

The hanyou stared into the darkness before answering. "I did love her . . . she was the first person who needed me, as much as I needed someone back then."

"Do you _still_ love her?"

He stared at the hanyou by his side, waiting for an answer. Sighing, Inuyasha met his gaze.

"I feel guilty for her death; I feel guilty that I lived, and she died. She didn't deserve such an end . . ."

"But now that I look back, I realized that Kikyou didn't love me for who I was. She needed me to change for her own security; she couldn't accept me for being a hanyou."

Junichor nodded, understanding his father's pain. "So . . . you love Kagome?"

Inuyasha averted his gaze to the floor. "Kagome . . . Kagome's different from Kikyou. She's not afraid to hide her emotions, and she accepts everyone for who they are . . . including me."

His cheeks began to show a bit of red as he continued. "There was this one time . . . we were against this demon, Kaguya. She tried to turn me into a heartless beast, and no one could stop me . . . no one except Kagome."

"Kagome brings out the best in me . . . she makes me feel wanted, secure. She makes me want to be a better person."

The young man raked his hand through his hair. "So why do you continue to see Kikyou?"

"I . . . I believe the real Kikyou's somewhere in there, deep inside her heart. Behind all the bitterness, all the grief . . . she's in there somewhere. It just doesn't seem right to me to leave her in her current state. I want to help her . . . I know the good's in there somewhere."

Junichiro broke the eye contact with the hanyou. _He's full of conflicting emotions . . . like me . . . ha, like father like son . . ._

_So . . . all he wants to do is help Kikyou . . ._

_And Kagome makes him a better person . . ._

_Stupid baka still won't admit he loves her!_

"I don't know why I spilled all that to you, kid," Inuyasha grunted, standing. "There's something about you that neither I or the others can figure out."

His golden eyes were narrowed in annoyance again, but the pools showed relief. "Let's go back before they find out we're gone."

Junichiro smiled inwardly, and followed his future father to the nobleman's house. A feeling of sadness fell over him as he stared at the back of Inuyasha's head.

_I wish I had this kind of father-son bonding growing up . . ._

_------------------------------------------_

_AN:_ whew . . . another chapter. I swear, I just can't stop writing!! But what better way to kick off the new year than a new chapter?

so Junichiro finally found out who the other woman was . . . if you didn't quite get how Inuyasha felt for Kikyou now, he only feels remorse that he lived and she didn't, so now he's trying to find a way to help her . . . or something :-P And even after that little speech on how much he cares for Kagome, he didn't say he _loved_ her . . . aacck, INUYASHA!!!!!!!!

lol . . .I'm crazy . . .

Father-son bonding . . . you gotta love it!

thanks for the reviews . . .

Stay tuned!!

**_HAPPY NEW YEAR!_**


	13. Realization

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!

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"Attack."

Junichiro stared at the young miko, his golden-brown eyes staring at her with disbelief. "What?"

"Attack me," Kagome smiled, stretching her arms out wide. "C'mon, I'm an easy target compared to Naraku."

The young man stared at the daggers in his hands, still unsure. "What if you get hurt . . ."

"Keh," a gruff voice answered behind him. "That wench got some trick up her sleeve; go ahead and attack, kid."

The Inu-tachi had decided to take a break from their traveling, having a picnic on the banks of a river they had spotted. Junichiro was surprised to see the familiar foods he ate back in his era, not realizing that Kagome brought foods regularly for her friends to eat. After the meal, Kagome insisted that the young man practice his new techniques on her, 'in case Naraku would attack.'

The dark-haired man gulped, lifting one of the daggers to eye level. "Uh . . . okay . . ."

Kagome frowned. "Don't use one of those weaker attacks; hit me with that purple beam thing."

"Alright . . ." _If I can remember how to do it . . ._

Junichiro closed his eyes, searching for the energy that had once flowed through the veins. _C'mon . . . where are you . . ._

"This century, kid."

Snapping his eyes open, he glared at the hanyou perched on a rock beside him. "Shut up and let me concentrate!" he hissed. Suddenly, he felt the energy he sought for.

_Oh . . . I guess it only works when I'm angry . . ._

Letting the daggers pulsate their respective aura colors, Junichiro crossed them over one another, watching as the two colors merged into a dark purple hue.

"Ready?"

The miko smiled. "Let me have it, Junichiro."

Junichiro lifted the daggers to eye level, just as he had done before. Closing his eyes, he harnessed the built up energy that had accumulated from his anger, and pushed them forth to his daggers.

Opening his eyes slightly, he waited for the energy to rise, feeling the warmth that engulfed his body.

_This ain't half bad . . ._

The others watched in amazement as the young man began to harness his hidden powers. His body was surrounded by the same purple glow that caressed his weapons, his hair waving wildly.

Inuyasha frowned, grasping his tessaiga closer to his body. _He might give off alot of energy . . . but it's still pretty weak . . . _

Junichiro, feeling the peak of power, began to count silently.

_One . . ._

_Two . . ._

"AARGGH!!!"

A beam of energy pushed out of the daggers, aiming straight for the waiting miko. Kagome narrowed her eyes, sensing the same thing Inuyasha had.

_His power is still weak . . . he's far from being Inuyasha's equal . . ._

Kagome stretched out her hand, and with her palm, built a barrier around herself just as the attack hit. Just as she suspected, the energy dissipated as soon as it came in contact with her.

Junichiro's jaw dropped as he saw his mother standing with an innocent smile on her face, his attack completely vanished. "Wha-what?"

"Your powers are still far too weak," Miroku suddenly spoke, stepping up to the young man. "Kagome-sama was able to deflect your attack."

The young man nodded sheepishly, scratching his head in embarrassment. _Who am I kidding? Like my powers would match her's . . ._

"Maybe someone should teach him how to defend first," Inuyasha grunted, sliding off the large rock. "Teach him a spiritual barrier or something; he _does _have those ab--aww, shit, not now!!"

Junichiro glanced at his young father suspiciously. "What's wrong?"

Inuyasha's eyes narrowed, his hand on the hilt of his sword as he stared into the forest in front of them.

"Wolf," he growled, unsheathing his sword.

"Eh?" The young man turned to Kagome for help. "Wolf?"

The miko shook her head and sighed. "Kouga . . . Inuyasha's rival. He's . . . well, you'll see."

_Rival?_

_Uncle never mentioned anything about--_

"Dog-turd!"

Junichiro whipped around, his eyes widening as a small twister made its way toward them. Glancing at the others, he noticed Miroku rolling his eyes, Sango rubbing her temple, and Shippou drawing a single tic mark underneath the name "Kouga" in the dirt.

Inuyasha began to growl in annoyance as the twister came closer, his eyes narrowing into slits as his sword transformed. "Stop showing off, wolf-breath!" he snarled, "What are you doing here now?!"

The twister suddenly disappeared, leaving a single man where it once stood. His long black hair was pulled up into a pony tail, his piercing ice-blue eyes glaring icicles at the hanyou. He was clad in nothing more than fur and armor, his sword at his side.

"If it's any of your business, puppy," he sneered, "I'm here to see my woman." Turning around, he sauntered over to Kagome, presenting her with wildflowers.

Junichiro felt his eyes bug out of his sockets. _Just what is this wolf thinking!?!? That's not **his** woman!!!_

"Uh, thanks," Kagome smiled nervously, taking the flowers and patting him on the shoulder awkwardly. "You're too kind, Kouga-kun."

"Anything for my woman," he grinned, his fangs gleaming in the sun.

_I don't like this guy,_ Junichiro glared. _He smells kinda funky . . ._

"Kouga . . ." Inuyasha growled, his eyes flaming red. "Stay away from her!!"

"Why should I, you mangy mutt?!" The wolf retorted, turning away from Kagome and cracking his knuckles. "She's _my_ woman, not yours."

The hanyou began to sputter obscenities while turning a faint shade of red. Pointing the Tessaiga straight at the youkai, he asked in a low, menacing voice, "Give me one damn good reason why I shouldn't spear you right through the gut?"

Junichiro watched the scene in front of him, his own fury burning. _Who is this guy? Mother doesn't belong with him . . . she belongs with Inuyasha . . . why I outta . . ._ He began to growl himself, his own sharp teeth gleaming.

"I wouldn't get involved if I were you," Sango sighed, placing a weary hand on the young man's shoulder.

"But--"

"Those two have been at it for over a year," Miroku grumbled, standing next to the young man. "They're always fighting over Kagome-sama."

"If Inuyasha admitted his feelings by now we wouldn't be here," Shippou murmured, "But he's such a stubborn dolt."

"Baka!"

"Bastard!"

"Mangy mutt!"

"Wolf-breath!"

Junichiro watched as Kagome tried to step between the two, her own expression irritated.

"C'mon you two, stop it! You'd think after a year of fighting . . ."

"This puppy's got to learn his place!" Kouga snarled, dodging Inuyasha's sword. "Watch where you're aiming that thing!"

Pushed aside, the young miko gazed helplessly at the others. "A little help, Sango? Miroku? Junichiro?"

"Junichiro?" Kouga jumped out of the way of another attack. "Who's Junichiro?"

The wolf prince turned to see a dark-haired man standing with the monk and the demon slayer, his golden-brown eyes flashing as he stared him down. Kouga took a step back as he gazed at the man before him.

_Hell . . . this guy looks like dog-breath!_

Except for the black hair, Junichiro _did_ look enough to be Inuyasha's twin, right down to the scowl on his face. Sniffing the air, the wolf realized he had been downwind, and he wasn't able to sense him earlier.

"Kagome, who is this guy?"

The miko rubbed her neck, tired from the two's fighting. "Kouga-kun, this is Junichiro; he's a new member to the group."

Junichiro took a step forward, crossing his arms over his green shirt. Eyeing the demon before him, he growled, "What right do you have to Kagome?"

Kouga stared dumbfounded for a moment, before slapping his hand to his head. "Aww, hell, don't tell me more competition! Dog-turd, I don't need to deal with your look-alike!!"

Suddenly, a breeze picked up, sending Junichiro's scent his way. Sniffing the air gingerly, Kouga's eyes widened as he stared at the new member of the Inu-tachi.

"You . . ." he breathed, his own face paling. "You . . ."

"Me what?" Junichiro challenged, taking a step forward. _Who does this guy think he is?!_

"Your scent . . ."

The young man visibly stiffened, his own heart ceasing to beat. "What . . ."

Kouga stared at the young man intently, the similarites popping out at him like deer. _This . . . this kid . . . _

Bewildered, Inuyasha tried to punch the wolf demon in the face. "Finish your sentences, baka!" he growled.

The wolf prince dodged the swing easily, glancing back and forth between the hanyou, the miko, and the young man in disbelief.

_I can't believe it . . ._

_But there's no mistaking it . . ._

Scratching his head, he sighed and turned. _I should've stayed with Ayame . . ._

"Kouga-kun?"

He glanced behind him, noticing Kagome's confused expression. Biting his lip, he merely waved. "I'll see you around, Kagome."

He passed by a puzzled Inuyasha, his tessaiga still unsheathed. Shaking his head, he slapped the hanyou on the back.

"Didn't know you had it in you, dog-turd," he chuckled, walking off into the forest. Turning back into a wind cyclone, he called back to the confused group,

"If he didn't have Kagome's hair color, your son would look just like you, puppy-breath, ."

Junichiro felt the world around him crumble as he watched Kouga disappear into the darkness of the forest.

"Son? Hair?" Kagome frowned, glancing back at the group. As her gaze fell on Junichiro, her eyes widened, the breath leaving her body as she stared in shock.

The rest of the group seemed to have put the clues together as well, for they were all staring at Junichiro with the same bewildered expression. Even Inuyasha was speechless for a moment.

"Kagome-chan . . . and . . . Inuyasha . . .?" Sango gaped, dropping her Hiraikotsu. "_They're_ your parents?!"

Letting out a low, exhasperated growl, Junichiro rubbed the back of his neck, wishing desperately that his left ear would stop twitching.

_I hate that mangy wolf . . . _

_--------------------------------------_

_AN:_ DUN DUN DUN!!!! the secret's out, thanks to Kouga! hehehe, don't you love how father and son react the same way towards him?

I wonder what'll happen next . . . muahahahah . . .

Anyways, I was asked what Junichiro's name means. The prefix **Jun-** means "obedient," and **-Ichiro** means "first son." so, Junichiro means "Obedient first son."

thanks so much for your guys' support! you guys are the greatest!

stay tuned!


	14. Truth

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

------------------------------------

_Great . . . this is **exactly** the way I wanted them to find out . . ._

Reaching up, he rubbed his face with his clawed hands, sneaking glances at the Inu-tachi between the gaps of his fingers. There was no mistaking their identical reaction: shock.

Slightly biting his lower lip, he resisted a smirk at the hanyou's gaping expression, his eyes huge and sword hanging limply in his hand. _He looks like a fish out of water . . ._

Junichiro snuck a peek at his mother before dropping his hands to his sides, wincing slightly at her pale face and large eyes. Taking a deep breath, he closed his eyes, before putting on a brave face.

"What're you all staring at?" he grunted, doning a faux irritated voice. _Oh yeah, this'll **really** fool them . . ._

Miroku was the first to break the stunning silence. "Are you really their son?" he asked quietly, taking a step forward.

"_Future_ son," the young man corrected, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Future son . . . right . . ."

The Hiraikotsu fell to the ground in a sound thud as Sango stumbled towards him, her eyes wide. "No wonder you look so much like Inuyasha," she mused.

"Uh, I guess . . ."

"Well, Inuyasha?" The monk turned, his face showing a sly grin.

"Well _what_, baka?" Inuyasha stammered, his eyes still wide as he stared at Junichiro. _I . . . I have a **son**?!?! With **Kagome**!?!?!_

Miroku sauntered over to the stunned hanyou, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Come see the fruit of your loins, my friend. A fine spec--"

"What the _hell_ are you talking about?!?" the golden-eyed youkai sputtered, jumping away from the man. His cheeks turned faintly red as he tried miserably to send him a scowl.

The monk's eyes twinkled, tapping his chin with his finger. "Well, at least we know that you would get together with Kagome-sama sooner or later . . ." Turning to the young miko, he winked playfully. "The only question is, _when_."

Kagome, who had been watching silently, blushed a dark scarlet as she rubbed the back of her neck. "Don't think it'll be anytime soon," she laughed nervously, glancing at the equally embarrassed hanyou. _Me . . . and **Inuyasha**?! _The thought turned her face three shades brighter.

Shippou jumped up onto Junichiro's shoulder, inspecting the dog ears atop his head. "I don't know why we didn't figure it out sooner," he mumbled, watching the left apendage twitch. "These ears should've given them away."

"Yes . . ." Sango murmured, "Why didn't we realize it sooner?" She studied the young man for a second, frowning. "Now that we know, the similiarities are uncanny. I mean, he has Kagome's black hair, but the ears and the face are clearly identical to Inuyasha's. Even his eyes are slightly gold!"

Junichiro shifted under the group's gaze, feeling uncomfortable as they studied him. "Would you all stop staring," he grumbled, his left ear resuming its uncontrollable twitching.

Miroku chuckled, cocking his head to the side. "He even _acts_ like his father."

"Keh!" The two dog demons growled simintaneously, staring at each other as they proved the monk's point.

"Kagome-chan?" Sango asked quietly, "What do you think about this?"

The miko blinked at her friend's abrupt question, before turning her gaze on the young man, his golden-brown eyes staring at her with uncertainty.

_He's scared that we'll reject him . . . _

Taking a deep breath, Kagome flashed Junichiro a reassuring smile, walking over to him and hugging the surprised young man. "I think it's great," she said softly, pulling back as she stared into his eyes.

Giggling, the miko grabbed his arm as her eyes twinkled. "Wow," she laughed, "I have a son! Wait till Mama hears about this!"

"Oi, wench!" Inuyasha growled, stalking over to them, "Don't get any ideas. I never said that you could go home."

Junichiro watched as his mother and father began to bicker, noticing for the first time that Inuyasha towered a good couple of inches over him. _I wonder if I'll grow that tall . . ._

"Awww!" Sango gushed, clasping her hands together. "What a happy family!"

The two stopped, Kagome's finger in midair as she ceased to wag it in Inuyasha's face. The hanyou was baring his fangs, but the demon slayer's comment made him lose the feriocious momentum and made him look like a puppy with a toothache. Amidst the chaos, Junichiro was standing in the background, shaking his head in amusement.

"Inuyasha . . ." Miroku began, smirking, "You never told us how you felt about having a _son_ with _Kagome_."

The hanyou stared a moment before turning as red as his haori. Crossing his arms, he turned his face away as he mumbled incoherent words.

"What was that Inuyasha?"

Kagome watched as Inuyasha continued to ignore Miroku, her heart falling to the pit of her stomach as she watched his stubborn attitude. _Maybe he doesn't want to have a son with me . . . maybe he wanted to have a child with Kikyou instead . . ._

_But you know that's impossible . . . Kikyou's dead . . . I doubt she has the capability to bear children . . ._

Junichiro glanced at his mother's sudden sad expression, her brown eyes filled with dread and fear. Sending a swift and discreet blow to Inuyasha's backside, he motioned towards the miko.

Inuyasha took one glance at the young woman and galvanized into action. "Kagome? Kagome, what's wrong?" he asked nervously, taking her by the shoulders and shaking her gently.

The young man watched as the hanyou handled the young woman with tenderness and care, his golden eyes worried. _He loves her so much . . . why doesn't he just admit it?!_

"It's nothing," Kagome assured, wincing at the tone of pain in her voice.

The hanyou stood back, wondering what in the world could've caused such a change in emotion in her. He watched as Kagome turned to Junichiro smiled, studying the looks that he had inherited. _Wha . . . _

Inuyasha then noticed the twinge of sadness in her eyes, the same sadness that surfaced whenever . . .

_Kikyou . . . she's not thinking about Kikyou, is she?_

A low growl began to form in his throat, irritated that Kagome would think about his former lover and actually believe that he would choose her over her. Taking the miko by the arm, he dragged her a few feet away from the group, and stared at her straight in the eye.

"Kagome," he asked softly, "You're not thinking about Kikyou, are you?"

The miko stared wide-eyed, her mouth opening but couldn't make up her mind on whether to protest or argue.

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, standing up straight as he looked down at her. The young woman gazed as he towered over her, inclining her head to accomodate his height. "Umm . . ."

She watched as he began to walk back to the others, his hands in his sleeves. Confused and puzzled, she called out his name.

"Inuyasha!"

The dog demon stopped, and turning his head slightly, quietly murmured so that she could only hear,

"Having a son with _you, you_ Kagome, would make me the happiest hanyou on the planet."

The young miko felt her heart in her throat as she choked back a cry of happiness, tears forming in her eyes as she gazed at the red blur in front of her. _Oh Inuyasha . . ._

Staring up into the sky, she sent up a silent prayer. _Me . . . me, not Kikyou . . . _

"Oi wench! Stop dreaming and get over here, would you?"

Kagome, too happy to sit Inuyasha for all his worth, walked hurriedly back to the group, where Sango was asking Junichiro a few questions. The young man glanced curiously at his parents, noticing Inuyasha grab Kagome's hand as she went to go stand next to him.

_Keh, it's better than nothing . . ._

"So, Junichiro," Miroku began, "Tell us, how did it feel growing up that your parents were Inuyasha the hanyou and Kagome the Keeper of the Shikon No Tama?"

The young man lowered his gaze, his heart feeling the loneliness that he had felt every day in his present time. "I, I never truly believed the stories, until now."

"Until now?"

"I now see the truth; the stories Uncle told me, about my half-demon father and my mother the miko, are actually real."

Inuyasha frowned. "Stories? Didn't you hear it from us personally?"

Junichiro shook his head, his eyes hidden by his black bangs. "I--"

"We're not _really_ dead," Kagome asked softly, "I mean, that whole thing about your parents dying was just a decoy, right?"

The young man clenched his teeth, taking a deep breath as he tried to figure out a way to break the news to them.

"I live with my Uncle Souta, his wife Hitomi, and their three children at the Higurashi Shrine. Fourteen years earlier, when I was only two years old, I traveled to the present era from the past and was left in his care. If things took for a turn for the worse and they weren't able to come back for me, they told him, he would have to raise me as one of his own, as a last request."

Taking a deep breath, he gazed at Inuyasha and Kagome.

"You never returned."

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_AN:_ awww, poor Junichiro! on a lighter note, they now know that he's their son!

thanks for all the support guys, you make me keep on going!

thanks for the reviews!

stay tuned!


	15. Reflection

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

----------------------------------

_You never returned . . ._

Brown eyes stared up at the midnight blue sky, thoughts scrambled and blurred as the sentence repeated over and over again . . .

_You never returned . . . **we** never returned . . ._

**Flashback**

"You mean, we _didn't _survive the last battle against Naraku?"

"It was a battle to the death."

**End Flashback**

_How could've it come to that . . . I don't understand . . ._

"Kagome?"

The young woman turned her head, her obsidian locks spilling over her sleeping bag as her pale skin glowed in the sunlight, giving her the illusion of a fallen angel.

Inuyasha held his breath, watching as she propped herself on her elbow, her brown eyes full of sadness as her black mane flowed down her back. _Why didn't I ever notice how beautiful she was?_

The hanyou closed his eyes momentarily, knowing that the way she looked at the present moment would be seared into his memory forever. Taking a step forward, he motioned her with a single finger to come to him.

Kagome gazed the young man before her, his silver hair a gleaming halo around his rugged face. The golden eyes she had known for so long burned into hers with such intensity she felt her skin flare up. As he beckoned her towards him, she could do no more than to follow in a dream-like trance, sliding out of her bag in an easy sweep and stumbling towards him, her eyes never leaving his.

As the miko fell into step with her late-night companion, they slowly walked into the forest, no words between them. Although she had no idea where he was taking her, Kagome didn't question him; she trusted him with her whole heart, he knew that.

_She's so quiet . . . she's probably thinking the same thing I am . . ._ The hanyou grimaced, remembering the words Junichiro had told them earlier. They would die in the final battle with Naraku, no one living to tell the tale of victory.

_Could the hunt for the jewel shards last that long? _

Spotting the tree that he had been searching for, Inuyasha swept the miko in his arms and leapt into the tree, setting her down in the largest branch near the top.

Hearing the young woman gasp, the hanyou smiled, knowing that the dark trees below the cliff and the shining full moon had caught her attention.

The two sat side by side in silence, staring at the dark beauty of the Sengoku Jidai. The crickets below chirpped a happy tune, while an owl nearby hooted in response.

"How could've it ended that way?"

Inuyasha glanced at the young woman, her eyes still focused on the dark forest below as a breeze picked up, kissing her black hair. Taking a deep breath, he stared up at the bright moon. "I don't know . . . I just don't know."

"He wasn't even sure if we succeeded in collecting all the shards."

Although Junichiro's story was quite shakey, it was evident that they had not accomplished their mission by the fragment he held in his possession. Inuyasha slid his hands into his sleeves, nodding. "I know."

Kagome clasped her hands together in her lap, her arms shaking from fear more than the weather. Her sorrowful gaze turned on the hanyou beside her, her voice soft and quiet.

"I don't want it to end that way, Inuyasha."

The young man locked his golden-eyed stare with hers, his heart burning at her words. "Neither do I, but there's nothing we can do."

"Maybe if we do something diffe--"

"Its _destiny_, Kagome," Inuyasha sighed, turning back to the scenery. "Its destiny that we have Junichiro, and its destiny that we'll d--"

"No!"

The hanyou whipped around at her sudden outburst, nearly falling out of the tree. Her eyes were hidden beneath her hair, her hands clenched into tight fists in her lap.

"I _won't_ let it happen that way," she whispered, a single gleaming tear falling down her face.

"Kagome--"

"Can't you see him?" She raised her head, her tearful eyes boring into his. "Junichiro's in _pain_, Inuyasha, because _we_ left him. _We _died, _we_ left him alone. Can't you see? Its our fau--"

"Don't even finish that sentence, wench," Inuyasha growled, grabbing one of her arms. "Its _not_ our fault, alright? Stop blaming yourself for things that aren't in your control!"

Kagome stared at him for a moment before collapsing in his arms, tears flowing freely but silently. Inuyasha awkwardly smoothed her hair, his claws combing through the locks as she murmured barely comprehendable words.

"I can't bear to know that our son will turn out that way . . . "

Inuyasha's hand stilled, his eyes widening as he heard Kagome utter the words "our son" for the first time. Pulling her back gently, he tipped her head up, staring into her eyes.

"Wench, if you only listen to what you say," he grumbled, wiping away the paths of her tears.

Kagome's eyes widened at the hanyou's affectionate tone and soft words. "Nani?"

Shaking his head, the young man slightly smiled, revealing his white canines. "Like you said, wench, he's _our_ son. If he's anything like us, he'll live."

The young woman was speechless, only able to nod her head dumbly. Inuyasha chuckled, pulling back and slipping his hands back into his sleeves.

"I still can't believe we're going to have a son," Kagome murmured, turning a faint red as she realized what she said. _Nice job Kagome!!_

Inuyasha glanced at her before slightly turning away, hoping that the miko wouldn't notice the bright red that splashed his face and the slight twinkle of joy in his eyes. "He looks alot like you," he grumbled, biting his lip as he heard his voice crack.

Kagome blinked, hearing his strange tone. Gazing closer, she noticed that his face was darker in the moonlight, apparent evidence that he was blushing.

Tugging on her skirt gently, she pretended to examine the creases. "Actually, he looks more like you," she mumbled. "The only difference is that his hair and ears are black."

"Don't forget the eyes," Inuyasha sat back, leaning against the young woman. "His are a few shades darker."

"Yeah . . ." Kagome trailed off, a smile creeping on her face. Ever since she was a little girl she always dreamed of having a family and children, and to actually _meet _one of them . . . well, it warmed her heart to the very core.

_To think . . . me and Inuyasha . . . we're going to have a son . . ._

"What do you think of him?"

"Nani?" Kagome looked up, her face in a confused frown.

"Junichiro." The hanyou cleared his voice slightly as he wiggled on the branch. "What do you think of him . . . as our son?"

The young woman stared up at the sky, watching the stars pulsate and twinkle. "He's really quiet . . . like he's always got something on his mind. He must get it from your side."

Inuyasha watched as a tree chewed on a nut nearby. "What do you mean?"

"Don't tell me you haven't noticed it. He prefers to keep his emotions to himself . . . he's always calm and passive, almost like Sesshoumaru."

"Keh," the hanyou snorted, "That kid has more personality than that baka ever will. Besides, I've seen his tempermental side. Kind of reminds me of myself; misunderstood and lonely.

"But you're not lonely anymore," Kagome pointed out, absentmindedly tugging on her sock. "You've changed alot since we first met."

"I know that," Inuyasha grunted.

Silence once again fell over the two, each deep in thought as they watched the moon slowly fade, noticing the first rays of light appearing in the distance. Kagome unconsciously leaned closer to her companion, her head resting on his shoulder. Inuyasha, a bit surprised at the young woman's act, smiled inwardly and wrapped an arm around her as they continued to gaze at the moonset.

"I hope that kid'll find someone of his own," he muttered, tightening the grip on the woman.

Kagome, who had fallen into a dream-like trance, slowly lifted her head and gazed into his golden pools. "What do you mean?"

"I mean that he'll find someone to change him," Inuyasha slowly explained, never taking his eyes away from her brown irisis. "Someone to show him that he's not alone in the world . . . someone who'll change him like you changed me."

The miko felt her blood speed up, her eyes beginning to moisten with tears once more. "Inuyasha . . ."

"Keh, I know." Inuyasha muttered, rolling his eyes. "All you women are the same; you want to keep your children as _babies_ for as long as you can. Well, you can't stop them from growing up, wench. They got to lea--"

He was cut off as Kagome leaned up and kissed him softly on the corner of the mouth, her lips barely brushing his skin. She pulled back slowly, watching as the hanyou's expression turned from total surprise to utter delight.

"Now, if only that mangy wolf was here to see that," he whispered huskily, pulling her back into his embrace.

"Oh, Inuyasha."

The two sat there on the branch, watching as the sun began to rise and bath everything in its path with light. As Kagome took a deep breath, she smelled the masculine and fresh scent of Inuyasha, smiling to herself as she snuggled closer to his chest.

For once in her entire stay in the Sengoku Jidai, she had no doubts on who Inuyasha's heart belonged to.

-------------------------------------

_AN:_ I know, there wasn't much on Junichiro in here, but I thought a nice filler of how Inuyasha and Kagome's relationship was developing would be nice.

thanks for the reviews guys! you're all the great!

stay tuned!


	16. Promise

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!!!

-----------------------------------------------

Junichiro's ears twitched as he listened to the soft scraping beside him, his eyes remaining closed as he cherished such a rare, peaceful moment.

The past couple of days had been smooth, to say the least. They had returned to the village shortly after dusk the previous day, and after much contemplation, a due vacation was decided. The Inu-tachi agreed to take a week off to gather their up their strength before going out to seek Naraku once more.

Much to Inuyasha's annoyance and dismay, Kagome returned to her era to catch up on her studies and to assure her family that she was perfectly fine. With the short vacation announced, Inuyasha had no reason to keep the miko in the past, which irritated him even further.

Lifting a lazy eyelid, the young man peered into the trees surrounding the hut in front of him, his keen eyesight quickly spotting the lounging hanyou in a tree nearby. The corners of his mouth curled in amusement as he couldn't help but notice the snappish behavior he had taken up recently, his face always curdled into a scowl.

_He misses Kagome . . . that baka . . ._

Glancing beside him, Junichiro's smile widened further as he watched the young fox demon attempt to sharpen his crayons on a dull rock. Shippou, he noted, was an excellent drawer, his skills developing quickly Kagome continued to produce his artistic supplies from the future.

"Need some help there?"

The kitsune's head looked up before nodding slowly, and handing Junichiro the obsidian marker, proceeded to watch in awe as the young man scraped the crayon effortlessly with his unnaturally long nails.

"Arigatou, Junichiro," the child mumbled, picking up the paper that lay beside him. "This picture is going to take forever to draw without that black pencil."

The young man said nothing, but smiled slightly as he handed Shippou back his crayon. Watching the kitsune furiously color, he asked amusedly,

"What are you drawing anyway, Shippou?"

The child paused for a moment to send the dark-haired man a mischievous grin.

"A family."

_Family?_ Raising an eyebrow, Junichiro peered over Shippou's shoulder, only to have his eyes widen to the limit. On the sheet of paper were three people looking striking similar to Inuyasha, Kagome, and himself. The faces were roughly drawn, but each reflected the personality of the actual person.

Inuyasha, clad in his usual red clothing, was holding his sword across his body. His eyes, despite the usual serious face he wore, seemed to sparkle with a type of happy contentment. Slightly to the side and behind the hanyou stood Kagome, her long hair waving in the wind as she held an arrow and her bow. Her face held its usual smile, her eyes holding a type of warmth that the crude colors couldn't hide.

Junichiro moved his eyes slightly to the right, noticing the third face slightly behind the other two. Like the hanyou, he was bearing his own weapons as he took on a formal battle stance. His black hair somehow seemed to meld with the woman's.

But it was the eyes and mouth that caught his real attention.

Shippou had given him the same warm eyes as his mother, while the mouth was set firmly like his father. The result was an uncanny person who looked strikingly similar to both people.

_Do . . . do I really look that much like them?_

Junichiro was about to ask the kitsune about the picture when a rustle of leaves and grunting caught his attention.

Shippou seemed to have noticed as well, for he raised his head slightly, but he soon shook his head and returned to his drawing.

"Shippou?"

The child gazed up at him, his expression bored and knowing. "Its just Inuyasha; he's always restless whenever Kagome goes home."

"I see . . ." Junichiro looked up just in time to see Inuyasha burst forth from the dense forest.

"Is that wench back _yet_?" He growled impatiently, his foot tapping the ground with much annoyance.

"She said she would back at _sundown_, Inuyasha. The sun is barely setting," Shippou rolled his eyes, never pausing from his coloring.

Junichiro watched his future father grunt a few incoherent words before stomping off in the direction of the village, his sword swaying at his side as passersby stared at the scowling half-demon.

"Where's he going?"

"Probably going off to bother Sango or Miroku," the kitsune sighed, taking a break from his picture. "I swear, Inuyasha's going to drive me insane one of these days. I don't know why he just doesn't go up and admit his feelings for Kagome."

The young man stared into the forest, remembering the conversation he and Inuyasha had in the forest the night he went out to meet Kikyou. "It's not that easy . . ."

"Not that easy?" Shippou gazed at him with an impatient look. "He knows that you're his son! How can't it be any easier?"

Taking a deep breath, the young demon slowly nodded. "I guess . . ."

He watched Shippou crack his small knuckles before resuming his tedious work. Knowing that he couldn't spend the rest of his day like this, he bid the kitsune goodbye and headed off towards the forest.

_What to do . . . what to do . . ._ Because Kagome was absent, Sango had taken up her chores with Kaede, a task the demon slayer hated to do. She claimed she was "a fighter, not a priestess." The old miko, however, insisted upon the young woman's help, stating that it would make her a proper demon slayer if she learned the proper medicinal herbs to heal certain wounds.

Miroku, on the other hand, was probably in the village wooing the young women. Since his fiancée was preoccupied, this was the only time his roaming hand could be set free.

_Its useless going to him . . ._

And then there was Inuyasha.

_Hah, yeah right! _

Throwing his hands up in the air, Junichiro stopped and looked around him. _I'm going to go insane if I don't find something to do . . ._

He jammed his hands into his pockets just as he decided to go to the stream when he felt the familiar sharpness of the Shikon shard. Pulling it out, he fiddled around with it a moment before an idea struck his head.

_Can I go home like Kagome?_

Glancing around him, he cautiously put the fragment back in his pocket, knowing too well that if a demon sensed the shard he'd be in major trouble. The closer the shard was to his body, the better; his miko barrier was able to repel any demons.

Sniffing the air, he began to jog east, the smell of the well directing him to it. Junichiro took in a deep breath of clean air as he gazed at the passing scenery before him, the lush trees, the bright flowers, and the full grass.

As the trees began to thin out, he saw a glimpse of the well up ahead. Speeding up a little, he sprinted towards it, smiling to himself as he noticed he wasn't breathless.

_Maybe this being part demon thing isn't all that bad . . ._

Looking around, he crept towards the well, his mind jumbled with thoughts.

_Will I be able to go through?_

_Will I go to my time?_

_Or will I end up in Kagome's time?_

Peering into the inky darkness, he wondered how such a dark, dense, old well could be used as a transporter between the two eras.

It was then he felt it.

Junichiro's eyes widened as he felt the immense aura of the well. His miko powers flared as he watched a small glimmer of light appear at the bottom of the well, blinking up at him.

Pulling out the Shikon shard, he noticed that it too began to pulsate simultaneously with the light at the bottom. Looking around once more, he slowly swung his legs over the edge of the well, his body shaking more from curiosity than fright.

Closing his eyes, he sent a silent prayer up to the heavens before allowing himself to descend into the darkness, the adrenaline pumping through his veins as he felt himself fall farther and farther down.

The fragment in his hand then pulsated with enormous power, causing Junichiro to open his eyes. He stared at the bright purple shard before realizing that he had stopped falling. Glancing around, he was engulfed in a mixture of purple and black light, the aura of the strange place similar to that of the Shikon Shards.

"Junichiro . . ."

His ears twitched as he heard his name, the voice soft and quiet.

"Junichiro . . ."

Whipping around, he looked around him nervously. _Who could be calling me in a place like this?!?_

"Don't be afraid . . ." A second voice called out to him. This one seemed rougher and more masculine.

Gripping the shard in his hand tightly, he called out hesitantly, "Who's there?"

A bright flash of white light suddenly blinded him, and as he shielded his eyes, the shard in his hand fell.

"Oh crap!" Junichiro forced his eyes open, only to have them blinded by the light that persisted to shine in his face.

"What do you what? Who's there?"

He yelled into the light, wishing desperately that it would go away so the he could find his shard. At the sound of his words, the light dissipated, and Junichiro slowly opened his eyes to find the impossible.

His parents. His _real_ parents.

It was Kagome and Inuyasha . . . and yet it wasn't. Inuyasha's hair was longer, his face older as his golden eyes twinkled back at him with wisdom and amusement. There were lines around his mouth, a sure result from all the scowls. He was still clad in his red haori, the Tessaiga still swinging at his side.

His mother was the one that took his breath away. Her long black hair was well past her waist, her brown eyes twinkling in happiness as she gazed at her son. She looked older, more developed, her face beautiful. She was dressed in a plain blue kimono, a strange contrast from the usual school uniform.

"Mother . . . Father?" Junichiro breathed, his eyes widening.

"Hello, son," Inuyasha's voice returned, his eyes sparkling with amusement.

"How . . . how . . ."

Kagome held up a hand, her small motion causing him to stop. "We don't have time to answer your questions, Junichiro," she said quietly, her brown pools brimming with tears. "We're only here to tell you something very important."

"Nani?"

Inuyasha held out his hand, where the fallen Shikon shard lay in his palm. As Junichiro reached out to grab it, the hanyou pulled back abruptly.

"You can't go home; not yet."

Junichiro gaped at his parents, his face etching into a frown. "Why not?"

"You . . . there are things you must accomplish before you can return," Kagome explained vaguely, stepping forward to touch his shoulder. "You must promise us you will not return until you finish what you've started."

"Finish what I've started? What do you mean?" The young man was clearly confused, his heart sinking as he realized that his parents were to leave him soon.

"You'll find out in due time," she softly answered, rubbing his shoulder. Turning to the hanyou, she nodded, and his father placed the shard in his son's palm.

"Promise us you won't go home yet."

"I . . .I . ." He took one look at his mother, who despite the happiness at seeing her son, was still distressed.

"I promise," he assured, gripping the shard in his hand and nodding his head.

"That's my son," Inuyasha grinned, reaching forward and ruffling his hair affectionately. Junichiro smiled in return, and was even more surprised to find himself in his mother's embrace.

"We'll meet again soon," she promised, stepping back. "Now, go back before they find you missing."

Junichiro stared as his parents began to fade away, the bright, white light returning as he was forced to shield his eyes. He felt the familiar sensation of falling into a bottomless pit as his grip on the shard was death-like. A few moments later, he felt the ground beneath him as he softly landed.

Cracking an eye open, he realized that he was at the bottom of the well.

Reaching up, he held his head as he tried to ignore the dizziness that overcame him. As he did so, the shard fell into his lap, the promise he made to his parents coming back to him.

_Mother . . . Father . . . I'll finish whatever it is I started . . . I promise . . ._

_----------------------------------------_

_AN:_ I know, I know, it took me awhile to get this chapter out, and I'm sorry! it was the end of the semester, and I've been scrambling around trying to get all my work in. Plus, basketball season's taking its tollon me, and I've been fighting tooth and nail to stay awake to do homework! But now that semester is over, I'm baaaack!

see, this chapter's even a little longer!

alright, alright, I hope you guys like the developing plot. Thanks for reviewing!

(I'll be updating "Beneath the Tangles" very soon)


	17. Understanding

_Disclaimer:_ I don't own Inuyasha . . .

ROCK ON!

-

"_You must promise us you will not return until you finished what you've started . . ."_

Leaning against the large body of Goshinboku, Junichiro stared into the darkness of the forest, fingering the shard in his hand subconsciously. His obsidian hair fell down his back, save for the two forelocks that framed his frowning face.

_What do they mean? Finish what I've started?_

Thinking back on his entire week's stay in the Sengoku Jidai, he couldn't remember anything he could've "started."

_Bring my parents together? Nah, they can do that by themselves . . ._

He glanced down at the purple fragment, his frown slowly fading away to a small smile as he remembered seeing his parents for the first time in fourteen years.

_It was nice . . . to actually talk to them . . ._

Junichiro's thoughts were interrupted by a strange light that erupted from the nearby well, followed by a soft thud and a rustling of clothing. Placing the shard back into his pocket, he slowly stood, rubbing the back of his neck.

_Kagome must be back . . ._

"Hello? Inuyasha?"

The young man shook his head in amusement as he listened his future mother call out to the hanyou; even after the nasty fight they had before she was allowed to leave consisting of nasty names and numerous subduing commands, she always forgave and forgot.

"Inuyasha you jerk! Help me out of this well!"

Junichiro bit his lip from laughing out loud. _Okay, maybe she didn't completely forgive and forget . . ._

Strolling over to the well, he leaned over and peered inside, seeing the young woman huff and stomp her foot impatiently, her yellow backpack pregnant with the group's food.

"It's about time! How many times do I have to tell—" the miko paused, squinting her eyes as she stared up at the leaning figure.

"Junichiro! Ah, gomen, gomen! I thought you were Inuyasha!" she apologized, clearly embarrassed.

"No problem," the young man replied, jumping down and landing next to his future mother. In one swoop he gathered both the woman and her belongings, and jumped out of the well in an easy feat.

"You're getting good at your skills," Kagome admired, brushing herself off. "You're as good as Inuyasha when it comes to jumping out of the well."

"Ah . . . well . . ." Junichiro blushed, scratching his head as he set the heavy backpack down. "I—"

"Oy, wench!"

The two turned to see an angry half-demon stalk towards them, his ears twitching in annoyance as his face was molded into what seemed like a permanent scowl.

The young woman sighed, stooping down to pick up her bag. "Hello to you too, Inuyasha," she mumbled, adjusting the straps of the backpack to accommodate her body. "Sometimes I wish you could be a little nicer."

The last part was barely a whisper, but Junichiro heard it clear as a bell. As he glanced at the hanyou, he noticed that he stopped right in his tracks, his eyes that once twinkled with excitement from the woman's return suddenly turning sad and crestfallen.

_Humph, that'll teach him . . . _

Inuyasha quickly cleared his throat, and trying a different approach, asked in a low, gruff voice,

"Do you have ninja food?"

Kagome blinked for a moment, before shaking her head and motioning to her backpack. "Yes, Inuyasha, I have your ramen."

"Finally!" the hanyou strode to the priestess, and in one quick motion grabbed the bag off her back. Sniffing it quickly, his eyes lit up once more.

Kagome smiled quietly, knowing that the simplest things could make Inuyasha happy. Glancing at Junichiro, she noticed the strange mixture of rage and shock on his face.

_He doesn't really know Inuyasha, does he?_

"Inuyasha," the priestess began, "why don't you take my bag back to the village? I want to talk with Junichiro for awhile."

The hanyou gave her a strange, confused look, but surprisingly didn't protest. Seeing that there was no danger of Junichiro acting like Kouga, he simply shrugged and took off towards Kaede's hut.

The future mother and son watched as Inuyasha's red form disappeared into the forest before turning to each other. Kagome could see the many questions he had for her, and taking his hand, led him to a path she normally took when she needed some alone time in the Sengoku Jidai.

"Why do you let him treat you like that?" the dark-haired man asked, his honey eyes slightly flashing. "He's always so rude and rough."

Kagome took a deep breath, her eyes focused on the ground beneath them. "He's come a long way, Junichiro . . . a very long way."

"I know he probably told you this, but when we first met he tried to kill me. To _kill_ me. He was loud and obnoxious, always criticizing me for everything I did, and implied that I was only a bother to him."

Junichiro blinked. "So why did you stay with him?"

"I saw something inside him . . . something good," she sighed, giving him a small smile. "He was alone for so long, Junichiro. His brother hates him, and his parents died when he was young. Its only to be expected that he acts in such a rude manner."

The young man was about to protest that he too lost his parents, but decided against it. Never hearing his father's past before, the subject caught his attention.

"How . . . how did he grow up?"

A sudden sadness filled the young priestess' eyes as she gazed into the darkness of the forest, her feet slowly slightly as they walked down the path.

"From what I have heard from Kaede and some from Inuyasha, he led a very lonely life. He was shunned by both demons and humans, never belonging to either. When his mother died, he was forced out of his home and into the wild, having to fend for himself against who knows what. Inuyasha never had anyone in the world . . . until Kikyou."

Junichiro winced at the sudden change of tone in her voice as she mentioned his father's former lover. _Maybe I should stop her . . ._

"You might've heard about her from the others, maybe even Inuyasha himself," Kagome continued quietly, staring up into the sky.

"Fifty-one years ago, Inuyasha met a woman in this very same village, a priestess by the name Kikyou. It just so happened that she was guarding the Shikon No Tama, the very thing Inuyasha sought. I guess, somewhere along the way, he fell in love with her."

"He agreed to become a full human for her, and in the process, purifying the jewel." Kagome paused, letting a slow sigh. "But, I guess, things never go as planned."

"Onigumo, an injured criminal who lusted after Kikyou, sold his soul to demons in order to have his body mobile. But the demons were ruthless, and Onigumo was lost in the process; instead, a new being was formed, one by the name of Naraku."

Junichiro suddenly felt lightheaded, realizing that everything—Kagome, Inuyasha, Kikyou, Naraku, the Shikon No Tama—were all connected.

"Naraku, like other demons, wanted the Shikon No Tama to become stronger. He disguised himself as both Kikyou and Inuyasha, and made them betray each other. In the end, Kikyou sealed Inuyasha to Goshinboku and she died soon afterward from a wound."

She glanced at her future son by her side, his face full of confusion. "You're probably wondering where I fit into all of this," she softly smiled, clasping her hands behind her back.

"On my fifteenth birthday, Buyo, the family cat, disappeared into the well house. Well, your uncle and I were terrified of that creaky old building, but I soon realized that I had to be the braver of the two. While I was inside, a centipede demon dragged me down the well and I ended up here, in the Sengoku Jidai."

"After a few minutes in this era, I was already in deep trouble. I was seen by the villagers near Inuyasha, and they thought I was a demon. I was taken to the village, where I met Kaede. She was speechless to find that I was her sister's reincarnation."

"Kaede is Kikyou's sister!" Junichiro gaped, feeling his head spin with all this information.

"Yes," Kagome nodded. "She knew Inuyasha fifty-one years ago, before he was sealed onto the tree."

"Well, things happened, and the demon that dragged me to this era returned, intending to take the jewel residing in my body. In fear of the villagers' life more than mine, I ran towards the forest, and towards Inuyasha's resting place."

"I don't know how it happened, but something about my presence awakened him. Realizing that I had the jewel, he killed the centipede and came after me. Luckily, Kaede had placed that subduing necklace on him, and I was able to escape with my life."

"I won't say how I broke the Jewel," Kagome smiled grimly, "But I do admit that I broke it. It was my fault this whole thing came to be."

Junichiro watched as the trees around the path they were walking on began to disperse, and soon found themselves in the midst of the stream that flowed near the village. The slowly rising moon's reflection sparkled on the dark water as the stars above began to twinkle with brightness.

"Maybe if I had stayed away from the well house that day . . . or maybe if I hadn't helped Souta find Buyo . . . none of this would be happening. Everyone wouldn't be in danger, and everyone would be happy living normal lives . . . "

The young man, not knowing how to respond, merely stood there, staring into the darkness of the sky as he cherished the short quality time with his mother.

_Even though she may say she wished none of this happened . . . deep down inside her, her heart says otherwise . . ._

_-_

_AN:_ I apologize with all my heart for the late update and the semi-short chapter . . . things have been waaaaay to hectic for me to keep up with my stories, and I feel really bad about it. Basketball season's going crazy with all our games, crazy teachers who assign projects every week, music performances, Bible camp, and all the class fundraising things I have to organize . . . akl;sdjfasdjkfjld!

I'm apologize once more . . . and I'll try to get more updates out this weekend!

thanks for all the support!


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